Trust and Betrayal
by ItzRayz
Summary: -AU DarkNarutoIno- What does a person do when the ones you sought to protect turns against you? The very enemies that you been taught to kill turns out to be your only allies...
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer:** These pesky things are always here aren't they? So troublesome. I'm just going to say it once for the record. I don't own Naruto.

Hello everyone, I'm back with my second fanfiction but this time it's a little bit different. Disregard everything you know from the manga and all those other plotlines because this will be an original story with a unique pairing as well. I believe that this story will be better than my first one once I have it all set up. Without further ado, Trust and Betrayal. Enjoy and Review.

**Full Summary:** What does a person do when the ones you sought to protect turns against you? The very enemies that you been taught to kill turns out to be your only allies... A dark Naruto x Ino pairing.

_

* * *

8 AM Konoha_

Shizune stood outside the office, knocking on the door. "She better not be sleeping again." She muttered to herself. When she heard no response, she quietly opened the door and found Tsunade sleeping again. Shizune let out a sigh. Things haven't changed much around here.

She walked over to her desk and found that the paperwork from yesterday was still not complete. She gently shook her mentor awake. "Tsunade-sama… You can't sleep like this. What would people say if they saw you?"

Tsunade stirred and answered groggily. "They can kiss my -"

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune interrupted her, not wanting her to develop any more bad habits. "It's time to wake up Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade got up and stretched. She yawned and saw the pile of paperwork increasing. "Is it me or is the paperwork breeding like rabbits?"

Shizune giggled. "No, that's just from this morning."

Tsunade groaned. "I have half a mind to use a Katon jutsu to make me a small bonfire." She glared straight at the paperwork. If she knew it was going to be this much work, she would have retired ages ago.

Shizune quietly excused herself and went back to work, leaving Tsunade to get ready for another hectic day. Tsunade yawned and lean back into her chair. She noticed the daily newspaper lying around on her desk. She poured herself a cup of tea and started reading the newspaper. As she browsed through the newspaper, she saw something that made her drop the cup. The cup fell from her hand and hit the floor, shattering it into many broken pieces.

Shizune heard something shatter and came rushing in. "Are you alright Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade slowly shook her head. She immediately ransacked her drawers, throwing away scrolls and papers while searching for something. Shizune approached her desk to see what the big commotion was. She started reading the newspaper for something unusual but stopped reading when she saw Tsunade pull out a small piece of paper. "The lottery? Did you lose again?" Shizune shook her head in disappointment. "You have to stop gambling Tsunade-sama. A Hokage with a debt the size of a mountain isn't good for someone of your reputation."

"No… It's not that." Tsunade stared at the ticket. "Shizune… I just won the grand prize…"

Shizune gasps. This was bad. Very bad. "Are you sure you won?" Tsunade nodded her head.

Shizune quickly grabbed the ticket and matched the numbers. It was unbelievable, she had really won. The last time she won something, Orochimaru was in town and Naruto almost died. It wasn't a pleasant memory for the both of them. "What does this mean Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade sat back down, thinking. "I don't know Shizune but be on high alert, something's bad is brewing." Shizune nodded and went back outside. Tsunade looked towards the window, '_Why do I keep picturing Naruto?'_ She saw the clouds passing over the sun, covering it for a brief moment. '_I hope you're okay Naruto…'_

- - -

"Sir. We have spotted the target. Do you want us to approach him?"

Fox carefully studied their target. Why would he stay in the open like that? The target was using himself as bait. He was luring them out into the open, waiting for them. Too bad that plan wouldn't work, Fox had all the time in the world. "Tiger, stay down. It's too soon to attack."

"Affirmative sir. Moving back into position now." Tiger moved back into the trees, waiting for further orders. He heard some noises moving behind him and turned around. "Eagle?"

A lean figure stepped forward, away from the shadows of the trees. "Why aren't we going in there and just kill him? The target's just standing there!" Eagle pointed to the man standing in the open yard.

Before Tiger could answer, a voice answered the question for him. "Because the place is carefully monitored and there are 3 guards at each end of the house, making it a total of 12 fully armed body guards. If you want to be stupid and walk into your future gravesite, be my guess. It'll be less paperwork for me to do. My question now is why are you still here and not at your post?" Fox appeared behind his team.

Tiger and Eagle turned around. "Sir!" They both saluted.

"Forgive Eagle sir, she's new to the squad." Tiger pushed Eagle away, hoping the captain wouldn't take it as an insult. Fox merely glanced at her and shushin away.

Eagle watched the man she only knew as her captain disappear. "Is he always like that?"

Tiger laughed. "You'll get use to it."

Eagle sighed. "But he's so infuriating!"

"I said get back to your post. I don't like repeating myself." Eagle turned around to see Fox standing in front of her. From her point of view, her captain looks kind of intimidating.

She was taken by surprised and fell down. "H-Hai!" She struggled to get back up and when she did, her captain disappeared in smoke. "Kage Bushin?" Her eyes widen behind her mask.

"Yeah. Captain's like that." Tiger shrugged and continued to monitor the estate.

Eagle shushin backed to her spot. '_He needs to lighten up.'_

_30 minutes later_

"Eagle, Tiger. Get ready. We're going in. You two are going in the back way. I'm taking the direct approach." Fox spoke through the headset. He waited five seconds before giving the signal. "Okay. Move in!"

Eagle and Tiger both took a deep breathe before replying. "Affirmative."

The team consisting of 3 people, Fox, Eagle, and Tiger ran in to complete a rank S assassination ordered by their kage. Screams and bloodshed erupted from the highly guarded mansion. The once guarded place owned by Chi Yen, a corrupted daimyo was now empty.

The life of a ninja is expected to be a short one. Ninjas are considered soldiers for their kages, willing to do and die for them without question. The best kind of soldiers are those that were willing to do whatever it takes to complete the mission, even if it means abandoning all your ideals just for this one moment. There are many paths in life but yet, there is not a single path that a person can take which can be called the right path. The person known as Fox understood this. He understands the risks concerning the life of the ninja and knows that jobs like this one is strictly professional, not a child's game.

"Taichou. Are we done here?" Tiger asked as he walked into the room.

Eagle shortly entered after him. The first thing she saw was over 20 dead bodies, all mutilated in one way or another. Heads were missing as well as other body parts. She started feeling noxious and quickly removed her mask to vomit.

Fox turned around and glared at her.

Tiger waved his hands in front of Fox, trying to calm him down. "Easy taichou, she's new. Remember that."

Eagle looked up and saw Fox looking at her. "If you're going to vomit every time you see something like this then get the hell off my team. I have no need for weaklings."

Tiger turned away. He felt sorry for Eagle. He heard the captain was one of the meanest people on the force.

Eagle put back on her mask and stood up. "Was it really necessary to kill everyone?" She looked around the room, "You didn't need to kill every one of them."

Fox whipped out a scroll and sealed the head of Chi Yen into it. "In this job, there can be no survivors, better get use to it. We're leaving." Fox started walking away and Tiger followed.

Eagle stared at her captain. There were obviously no wounds on that man and yet, there were evidence of a battle that took place here. Broken swords, blood spilled all over and the captain didn't even get blood on his outfit.

She was caught up in her little analysis that she didn't notice that her captain was standing by the door. "Are you coming or are you going to keep vomiting? Do it on your own time and stop wasting mine." Eagle snapped back to reality and hurried to catch up with her team.

- - -

It was almost midnight when the team arrived back in Konoha. Eagle was too tired to continue. She looked at her other two team members. They looked like they just came back from a walk.

"Sir… Can we stop for a minute or something?" She looked up, hoping he would be lenient for once.

Fox turned back and saw her leaning over, using her knees as support. "How the hell did you manage to pass the exams like that? Either the proctors must have pitied you or you bribed your way through."

Eagle growled at him, she was too tired to put up with this shit any longer. She was about to lunge at him when Tiger held her back. "Calm down, he's always like this. Just don't let him get to you." He whispered into her ear.

Fox walked up to the front gate. "Kotetsu, Izumo. Are you guys there?"

"Who goes there?" A grouchy voice yelled back.

"It's ANBU Team Fox reporting back from a mission." Izumo immediately recognize the ANBU captain. He wasn't someone who you could just give a single glance to and forget. Fox was a person who could be labeled cold and dangerous and was known throughout Konoha. The villagers and ninjas alike knew and respected him as the ANBU captain. His enemies known to fear him as the Silent Storm. You wouldn't know where he was until you were dead. Just thinking about the man sent shivers down his spine.

Izumo walked out of the box and bowed to him. "Go right ahead sir. The Hokage is expecting you."

Fox walked past the bowing chunnin without saying a word. Kotetsu sat there, just watching the scene play out. He shook his head. Only a handful of people knew who the captain was and even less knew who was really under the mask. There has been rumors going on that Fox is on par with Itachi of Akatsuki, who was rumored to be on par with Jiraiya of the legendary sannins. He always got a kick out of watching Fox do his job. He gives off the silent creepy feeling but yet, at the same time, it felt cool knowing that Konoha has someone this strong serving under their Hokage.

Fox looked at his team. Tiger was right behind him while Eagle was slightly lagging behind. He shook his head. "Both of you are dismiss. Get out of my sight."

Tiger nodded and began to walk away, dragging Eagle with him. Fox shunshin out of sight, with one destination in mind.

When Fox disappeared, Eagle gave him the finger. "What the hell is with that guy? It's like he got a stick up his ass."

Tiger busted out laughing. "Captain's been like this since he enlisted 4 months ago."

Eagle gritted her teeth. "God damn it. I hate him more than I hate the demon. If I had my way, both of them would have been dead by now." She gripped her knuckles and slammed the wall, causing some rubble to fall off.

Tiger stayed back and observed her behavior. He shook his head. "He gave us the night off. I'm going back to relax. I suggest you do the same." He disappeared, leaving her alone.

Eagle cursed the day she joined his team. She punched the wall one last time before disappearing as well.

- - -

Fox walked through the hallow hallways of the tower, the night winds made the atmosphere a bit chilly. Fox didn't mind the cold, it was something that he liked. It was a refreshing feeling.

He walked up to the Hokage's door. It was wide open. Tsunade always left it open because no one dared to walk in unannounced, everyone except a selected few. The only time it would be closed is if she was sleeping or in a meeting.

Fox stepped into the room and saw her furiously scribbling on the paperwork. When she didn't acknowledge his presence, he let out a cough. Tsunade looked up from her paperwork and saw Fox standing before her. "Fox reporting in from a completed mission Hokage-sama."

Tsunade got up from her chair and stretched. She let out a yawn before signaling Fox to close the doors.

When Fox closed the doors, Tsunade took out a bottle of sake. "So I take it your mission was successful?"

Fox nodded his head. "It went off without a hitch." He stood there, awaiting his next order.

Tsunade took a sip of her sake. "You know, you can remove your mask when it's only the two of us."

Fox stood there, not making a movement. "I don't feel like it Hokage-sama."

Tsunade gave him an angry look. "Maybe you didn't hear me. I wasn't asking you if you felt like it. I'm ordering you to." Fox made no attempt to remove the mask. Tsunade sighed. "Please take it off… Naruto."

Fox sighed before giving in. He lifted his hands up to his mask and slowly removed it. He opened his eyes and looked straight at Tsunade. "Hello Tsunade-sama." Tsunade looked at the boy. The cheerful boy she once knew was gone. His body became tone, you can see the muscles perfectly on his arms and chest. His face has lost most of it's baby fat and it was no longer the face of a young teenager, it was the face of a handsome young man. Ever since he joined the ANBU ranks, he has undergone a complete transformation. No one would mistake him for the same brat he was years ago.

She looked down at her sake saucer and then at Naruto again. "Ah screw it." She threw the saucer into the wall and started drinking from the bottle. "Naruto, have a seat."

Naruto approached her desk and sat down in a chair. "I will have the report to you within the hour. What is my next mission Tsunade-sama?"

She put down her bottle before sitting back down. "Naruto… I think you're working too much. Slow down and enjoy life! Go out and get yourself another girl-" Tsunade stopped herself in mid-sentence, realizing what she was about to say. Naruto sat there, showing no emotions what so ever.

Tsunade heard about the split between Naruto and Sakura. She heard it through the local grapevine which they heard it from Ino herself. She's been meaning to ask Naruto for what really happened between the two of them but whenever she tried looking for Naruto, he was always out on a mission. "Naruto. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

Naruto shook his head. "Don't worry yourself about it. It's nothing."

Tsunade look another sip of sake. "Want to talk about it Naruto?" She was carefully studying his facial expressions. So far, she found out that he was like a statue, unable to change his emotions. It was true that he changed, he was no longer the social and loud mouth brat he once was. He was now embarking on missions like they were going out of style.

When she got no response from Naruto, she sighed. "Listen Naruto, I'm worried about you. Hell, you even got Jiraiya to worry about you and that man never worries about anything except his books."

Naruto dropped his head. "We…" Naruto hesitated for a minute before continuing. "found out that we weren't exactly… right for each other." Naruto took his time, trying to figure out what was the best way of telling her without reviewing too much. In his mind, he was replaying the scenes as if it was a broken record. He couldn't forget it, no matter how hard he tried.  
_  
Flashback_

_5 months ago_

_Naruto was someone who you could have considered the happiest man in the world. Nothing could have brought him down. Sakura and him was officially a couple of 2 months now and nothing could spoil his mood. He had a date with Sakura tonight to celebrate their anniversary. Each time he looked into her eyes, he would always see the happiness that he brought to her world. What he didn't know was that everything was about to change._

_Izumo laughed quietly about the relationship that Tsunade and Naruto had. Only Naruto dared to speak to her like that in that tone. "Well she also said that if you don't come, she's closing down the ramen stand and banning ramen from Konoha." _

"_WHATT?" Naruto yelled at the man. Izumo covered his ears. When he looked back up, Naruto was gone but you could see a pile of dust that the boy left behind. He chuckled to himself. "Same old Naruto."_

"_Oba-chan! You better not touch the ramen!" Naruto shouted as he barged into the room. _

_Before he could say anything else, Tsunade hit him over the head with her fist. "I thought I told you not to call me that Naruto!" She glared at the boy. Naruto rubbed his head before glaring back. _

_Shikamaru let out of a little cough. "Seems like they forgot that I'm also in here… how troublesome." _

_Tsunade snapped back into reality and sat back down in her chair. Naruto followed her over and stood along side Shikamaru. "Hey Shikamaru, How's Temari treating you?" _

_Shikamaru let out a sigh. "Same old, same old. Women are just too troublesome." _

_The boys turned back around when they heard a cracking sound. "What was that Shikamaru?" Tsunade stared the young chunnin in the eye. _

"_Err… nothing." She nodded her head before opening a folder. "I'm sending you two, along with a team, on a rank S mission." _

"_Yatta!" Naruto yelled out. _

"_You guys are leaving tonight." _

_Naruto stopped jumping up and down when he heard the news. Tonight was suppose to be his night. "Can it be tomorrow oba-chan?"_

_Tsunade gritted her teeth. Only a few more hours until she gets rid of him. She kept telling herself in her head. "No it has to be tonight because we have gotten word that Sasuke is in an isolated town just north of here. As I recalled, you wanted to be in this mission." _

_Naruto quieted down. He stared hard at the ground before looking up. "That's right, I have to bring him back." He nodded his head. "So who else are we going with?" _

_Tsunade threw the file at Shikamaru, who opened it and read the information. "Neji, Kiba, Shino, Lee and Choji." _

_Naruto smiled. "It's time to bring our lost buddy home." _

_3 days later_

_The special convoy team came back into the village, all bruised and battered up but still alive. They had engaged in battles with Orochimaru's new and upgraded Sound 4 along with Sasuke and Kabuto. It was not an easy fight, each of them considered themselves lucky for winning the battle. Naruto had it worst. The battle between him and Sasuke left him in a near death state. Shikamaru witnessed the entire battle. Sasuke shoved a Chidori through his chest while Naruto barely recovered from that and knocked Sasuke out with a Oodama Rasengan. Shikamaru then had the luxury of dragging them back with his Kagemane no Jutsu. Naruto woke up about half way through the trip and carried Sasuke back on his own. _

_When he arrived back into the village, every medic in the village rushed to meet the team. Sakura hurried through the crowd, pushing people out of the way. He had expected her to give him a hug when he returned but she pushed him out of the way and went to work on Sasuke. Naruto figured Sasuke needed more medical attention than him so he let it slide but as time went on, when he went to see Sakura, she was always busy with Sasuke. _

_It was a week later when he walked into the hospital room and overheard their conversation. _

"_So Sakura, would you like to have dinner with me tonight if you're not busy?" _

_Naruto laughed in his mind. 'She wouldn't do that. She knows that I was going to pick her up and take her out to dinner tonight.' _

"_Of course Sasuke-kun." He couldn't believe what was happening. He continued to listen to their conversation. "Are you sure? I mean Naruto's been here waiting for you a lot. Are you guys going out or something?" _

"_It's not really like that." Naruto's heart shattered into a million pieces at that point. He began to walk way quickly, not caring where he went. He bumped into Shikamaru and mumbled an apology while running out. _

_Later that night._

_Naruto stayed in his apartment, fiddling with the necklace he was suppose to give Sakura. He was not in the best of moods and he already cried himself out, there was nothing left to cry about. He heard a knock on the door, slowly got up and wondered who it was. _

_When he opened the door, he saw Sakura standing there nervously. "H-Hi Naruto… Can we talk?" _

_He nodded his head and walked outside with her. "So talk." Naruto said without looking at her. _

_Sakura took a deep breathe and hoped for the best. "Naruto, I think we should break up. I need some time to myself to concentrate on my work." _

_Naruto laughed to himself. 'You mean to study Sasuke…'_ _He stood up and closed his eyes. "Okay. If that's what you want." _

_Naruto stared at her for a second, looking into her eyes to see if she was under a spell or something. When he found nothing, he sighed. _

_Sakura took one last look at him before leaving. "I'm sorry Naruto." Naruto watched her as she walked away. Naruto walked back into his apartment and drowned himself in sorrow. _

_It was the next day when he saw Sakura and Sasuke in their regular training field, holding hands and lying next to each other. Naruto gritted his fist and left the area as quickly as he can. It was also the same day his whole world changed, where he enlisted in ANBU and quickly climbed the ranks into becoming the captain._

_Flashback End_

"You know I'm always here if you want to talk Naruto. We all care about you, me, Shizune, Iruka, Jiraiya, Kakashi, all your friends…" Tsunade looked at the boy. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

The boy has been through a lot and there will still be more troubles to come. She rarely saw the boy anymore, he was always busy with this and that, never showing up for any social events. She decided that it was time for action. Maybe she can bring the old Naruto back. "Naruto, as for your next mission, it's ranked SS. If you accept, I'll go into details with you right now."

Naruto's ears perked up when he heard that it was ranked SS. "I accept the mission."

Tsunade grinned. "Your mission is to act as a regular civilian for the next 3 months. Consider yourself on a vacation Naruto."

Naruto frowned. "Is this some kind of a joke Tsunade-sama? I'm not laughing here!" Tsunade glared at the boy for his rude outburst.

Naruto caught on and calmed himself down. "I do not see the logic behind your thinking Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade smiled at the boy. "It's called relaxation. Trust me you'll like it. Now get out of my office and start your rank SS mission." She started giggling as Naruto frowned, wondering what to do. He decided that he would think about it over some bowls of ramen.

Naruto bowed his head and walked towards the door. "Good night oba-chan…" Tsunade's head quickly picked up to look at the boy to see if she really heard those words but when she looked towards the door, it was already closed.

- - -

"He's back sir. Should we begin now?" A ninja kneeled in the middle of a dark room.

A mysterious figure appeared before the kneeling ninja and nodded his head. "Begin the operation immediately. Make sure to do this right or everything we planned up to this point will be for nothing!"

"Right away sir." The ninja disappeared into the shadows and the mysterious figure started laughing. "It's only a matter of time now…"

- - -

"Oi old man, 3 bowls of Miso please." Naruto shouted out his order before sitting down at the counter.

Teuchi walked out from the back. "Oh it's you Naruto. 3 bowls coming right up." Teuchi went back into the back and prepared the noodles. A few minutes later, he came right back out with the 3 bowls of Miso ramen. Naruto looked hungrily at the ramen.

Teuchi chuckled as he watched his best costumer rapidly eat it. "Slow down Naruto or you'll end up choking."

Naruto finished his first bowl and slowed down. "Whefe fs afume?"

Teuchi stared at him. "It's rude to speak with your mouth full boy. Didn't I teach you any manners?"

Naruto quickly swallowed the noodles before asking his question again. "I'm sorry. Where is Ayame-chan?"

"Oh, she's out on a date with some boy." Teuchi watched the boy finish off his bowl. How can this boy eat so much ramen and yet still remain thin. It was a mystery the way he ate. "Do you want anymore Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head. "I have to turn in tonight old man. I'll stop by tomorrow." Teuchi nodded his head and accepted the money that Naruto put down.

Just as Naruto walked out of the bar, an explosion rocked the area, causing Teuchi to drop the plates. "Old man! Are you okay?" Naruto ran back inside to check up on the old man.

Teuchi slowly pulled himself up, shaking his head. "Yeah… I think I'll be okay Naruto." Naruto gave the old man a quick look over before nodding goodbye.

When Naruto stepped back outside, he was stopped by 4 ANBU personnel, each standing there with their arms crossed.

ANBU, short for **An**satsu Senjutsu Tokushu **Bu**tai, stood for the village's security task force. They are the elite of the elite, handling assassinations and high risk missions to other countries. They are under the direct service of the Hokage.

"What can I do for you gentlemen at this hour of the night?" The ANBU with the dog mask threw a fast punch that caught Naruto off guard. The punch sent him flying back into the counter of the Ramen Bar.

Teuchi came to see what the commotion was about. "What's going on here? Why are you beating on him? Stop right this instant. I will not allow fighting in my restaurant."

Dog ignored the man and stood in front of Naruto. "Naruto Uzumaki, you are under arrested for acts of terrorism against Konoha. For destroying the Konoha Hospital and killing 50 people in your little act."

Naruto looked up at the man, with shocked eyes. "What the hell are you talking about? I was here when the explosion occurred!"

"Yes, I can vouch for him. He was here eating ramen when it happened." Teuchi quickly defended his loyal customer, the son that he never had.

"Shut up you demon lover." The ANBU with the cat mask retorted back.

Naruto got up and looked at the 4 ANBU. "Well, you got the wrong guy. I didn't do it so leave me alone."

Naruto pushed his way past the ANBU squad but stopped when Cat caught his arm. "You are coming with us demon or there will be trouble."

Naruto quickly reversed it and threw him away. "Don't touch me. I don't like it when people touch me without permission." Naruto turned his head and saw the other ANBU getting ready to attack.

Cat quickly jumped back up and tackled Naruto from behind.

Teuchi stepped in when he saw Naruto getting tackled. "Get off him this instant!" He pushed the ANBU off Naruto and was about to help Naruto up when the person in the wolf mask punched him in the stomach, sending him to the ground. Teuchi coughed some blood out and was breathing heavily.

"Stay out of this fight you demon lover." Wolf spat out venomously.

As Wolf turned around, he caught a fist to the face, causing him to stagger back and to comfort his broken bloody nose. Naruto appeared next to Teuchi and help him up slowly. "Are you okay old man?"

Teuchi smiled weakly at Naruto. "I'll be fine." Naruto nodded his head before turning his attention to the other ANBU.

Cat was checking up on Wolf's condition while the others stood in front of them.

"Your captain would have been ashamed of you guys for hitting on defenseless civilians." Naruto stated as he stood in front of Teuchi.

Dog laughed. "The captain would have loved to beat your ass down demon. Be glad he isn't here to soil his hands on some demon filth."

Naruto moved the ramen chef over to the chair before turning his head. "You can accuse me of all the bullshit crimes you want but when you guys involve innocent people in the fight, you guys just crossed the line." Naruto disappeared out of sight. The team of ANBU looked all around.

Cat looked around, preparing to take out the demon with one blow. He heard a whisper in his ear. "How the hell did you make it into ANBU?"

He turned around quickly to find no one there but felt someone pulling him down. He out a scream as he tried to pull himself back up.

Dog saw his teammate get dragged underground. "Cat!"

The other members ran over to the spot where their teammate vanished. "Damn you DEMON! Come out and fight us!" Wolf screamed into the air.

"Are you sure you guys are part of ANBU? Genin's give me a better challenge." Naruto walked out from the shadows.

"Don't look down on us demon." Naruto's eyes quickly turned around to see Crow behind him. Naruto didn't know who Crow was but he knew he was good enough if he was able to sneak up behind him.

Crow quickly brought the Ninjaken down on Naruto. Naruto barely jumped away in him. He looked down to see several cuts on his orange shirt. "You son of a... that was my favorite shirt." Naruto went through some hand seals and took a deep breath. "**Katon: Karyu Endan.**"

A huge fire dragon appeared from Naruto's mouth and charged straight for the defenseless ANBU. Crow's eyes widened as he saw the size of that dragon. '_Oh shit. I'm screwed.'_

Wolf quickly went through some hand seals to save his captain. "**Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu.**"

Naruto turned around in time to see a water dragon coming towards him. He jumped away and saw the water dragon charging straight for his fire dragon.

Both of these mighty dragons destroyed each other and produced steam that covered the area.

Crow quickly formed some hand seals and took a deep breath. "**Futon: Daitoppa.**" He let out a breath of wind that cleared the area of steam. The team of ANBU saw Naruto just lying there on the ground, not moving.

"Did we get him?" Dog turned his head to ask his team for their opinions but when they all shrugged, they moved in as a team. They slowly approached the body, not sure of what to make of the scene. When they got near Naruto, the body disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Blundering idiots. Your captain would have been crying if he saw this battle." They quickly turned around to see Naruto finishing up the last hand seal. "**Doton: Yomi Numa.**" The ground quickly turned into a swamp, preventing anyone from escaping. "You guys aren't worthy enough to be in ANBU. Tell Cat I said hi when you guys see him."

Naruto walked away as the rest of ANBU sank into the ground. Naruto quickly leaped away before the entire ANBU division came after him. He ran back to his apartment but found more ANBU there. He turned around and disappeared into a corner. Naruto walked into a narrow alleyway with a dead-end. He moved himself into a corner and just sat there, wondering what was going on. '_What the hell is going on here? I know I didn't blow up the Konoha hospital.'_

Many thoughts were racing through Naruto's mind. He looked up when he heard someone knocking over a garbage can. "If you take one more step into this alleyway, I'll kill you in over 15 ways." He let out a small growl. He was not in a mood for more of this bullshit right now.

"Naruto?" The voice called out.

Naruto recognized that voice. "Shizune-san?" He saw the shadow of the figure slowly approaching him.

Shizune walked towards him slowly, making sure it's the real one. "It's me Naruto."

Naruto took out a kunai and held it where she can see it. "How did you know I was here?"

Shizune saw the kunai and stopped advancing. "Tsunade-sama saw your location through her crystal ball. She needs to talk to you quickly."

Naruto nodded his head. As Naruto got up, Shizune noticed the bloodstain over his clothes. "It's not my blood." Naruto quickly answered, before Shizune started asking too many questions.

The two quickly shushin towards the Hokage Tower. Naruto entered through the window while Shizune entered through the door. Tsunade heard the door open and wondered who it was. "Naruto?"

"Right behind you." She quickly turned around to see the boy leaning by the corner. She then turned right back around to see who it was by the door. She let out a sigh of relief when it was only Shizune. "Thanks Shizune." Shizune quickly closed the door and entered the room as well.

Tsunade took a quick glance at Naruto. "Naruto, what in the world happened to you?"

"I was attacked by ANBU and now they're currently disposed off." Naruto said in a cold tone.

Tsunade shrugged off the tone. "So what happened Naruto?" She looked at him. His clothes was a messed and he looked like he been through hell.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't really know."

Tsunade massaged her temples. "Naruto. If you don't tell me, I can't really help you. Did you or did you not blow up the Konoha hospital?"

Naruto glared at her. "Do you really believe that I would do something like that?"

Tsunade flopped down into her chair. "No but there are several key eye witnesses that saw you entering and leaving as it exploded. The council is going to have a field day with this Naruto. They have been looking for an excuse to execute you and now they may have the right reason."

The two women looked at Naruto. He stood in his corner quietly, making no signs of conversation. "Just tell me what you were doing Naruto and I'll help you out in anyway I can."

Naruto opened his eyes and stared at the door. The door busted open and the room soon filled up with Root members. Danzo casually walked in. "Thank you for capturing the fugitive Hokage-sama."

Tsunade gritted her teeth. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Danzo smiled. "Why, to capture and detain the killer of course. We received word that he was making his way up here and I thought he was going to kill you as well Hokage-sama."

Tsunade slammed her fist down on the table. "This is my room and your intruding. Leave now or I'll throw you and your root unit out."

Danzo continued to stand there. "Tell me you're not housing a wanted fugitive are you now Hokage-sama? The council won't like this when they hear that their Hokage is siding with the demon."

"How dare you!" Tsunade yelled out. She glared at the man. She knew he had a point. She was already in trouble for having Naruto here and she was risking everything if she let him get away.

Tsunade sighed. "Fine take him away Danzo and I want a meeting with the council now!"

Shizune's eyes widen in surprise. "What? Tsunade-sama, you can't be serious."

Danzo smiled. "As you wish Hokage-_sama._"

Naruto stared at the Root unit. He doesn't know much about them and he could sense that they were all trained to kill on command. He could escape now but that would cause the entire village to be after him. "Take him to the rank SS prisoner center." His eyes widen when he heard Tsunade spoke of that. The rank SS center was one of the most unique and dangerous holding center there is in Konoha.

"What!" Naruto yelled out. He began to struggle which caused the Root unit to hold him back.

"Take him away." Tsunade sighed and pointed towards the door.

Danzo smiled. "You heard your Hokage. Do it."

Naruto shot Tsunade a cold glare which Tsunade noticed but didn't respond.

She was too busy convincing herself that this was the best thing to do. "Shizune! Gather everyone now." Shizune nodded and disappeared. Tsunade watched as Naruto was taken away from her office. She started to break down in the middle of her office, hating herself for what was about to come.

_30 minutes later_

"What the hell do you mean he's going to be executed at dawn?" Tsunade brought her hands down to the table. She glared at the council of elders. "You have no god damn proof that Naruto was responsible for the explosion."

"We have our own eye witnesses as well as sufficient evidence that shows him being responsible." Tsunade glared at the person who spoke up. Koharu returned an equally strong glared. "If I didn't know any better, you guys were out to get him."

Homura coughed. "The clan heads have also came to a unanimous decision that he is to be executed for his actions. We have lived with the demon long enough. He is a liability to the village and everyone here. This meeting is over."

Tsunade's eyes widen, "What! I'm the Hokage here! I didn't say this meeting was over!"

Koharu stopped and turned her head. "You're just a political figure head. You don't have enough power to overturn the council's decision." She closed the door on her way out, leaving Tsunade to her own thoughts. Tsunade stared at the door, wishing that she could have bashed their heads in. '_Oh my god Naruto, what have I done…?"_

- - -

"Get up you dirty demon. It's time for your trial." The guard kicked the bars, awakening Naruto. Naruto stirred for a bit, before rolling back on his side. "Demon spawn, don't make me come in here." The guard took out a metal rod and started smacking the bars, disrupting Naruto's slumber. He didn't get any sleep the night before, the guard took pleasure in making his stay miserable and he didn't get any food. He was pissed off at his location, he didn't have a bed and had to make do with the cold dirty floor, a demon hater guard, and all the demon haters in the village.

"Go stuff your face you insolent fly." The guard's face turned red before picking a rock off the floor and throwing it at Naruto.

Naruto felt something hitting him in the head. He stood up and glared at the guard. He ran and kicked the bars, scaring the guard. The guard saw Naruto approaching and tripped. Naruto started laughing. "Aw... Did I scare the big scary guard?"

The guard got up slowly. "Laugh now demon. I'll have the last laugh when I see your bloody body hanged." He signaled the other guards to come and get Naruto. Naruto sighed, he believed that Tsunade will get him out of this mess somehow.

_1 hour later_

Naruto was blindfolded and lead around, he was all tensed up; being blinded and being led around by people who wanted nothing better than to just kill you would make anyone tense up. He felt himself walking up the stairs and onto a platform. He heard the whispers and hissing coming from voices which he could assume were the villagers. His blindfold then came off and he took a look around. He was surprised to see that he was on a stage set in downtown Konoha. It looked like the entire village was there for his trial. Naruto walked up to a panel of judges, consisting of Hiashi Hyuuga, Homura, Koharu, Danzo and Tsunade. They looked at him with a cold glare, with the exception of Tsunade, who didn't look him in the eye.

Koharu cleared her throat, signaling for silence. "Naruto Uzumaki, you are here today because of your crimes against Konoha. You have ridiculed the village with your pranks since your genin days and now you have taken it to the next level. You have blown up the Konoha Hospital, killing the patients inside. Have you no shame!" The crowd started booing him and throwing fruits and tomatoes at him.

Koharu again signaled the crowd to quiet down but was pleased with the crowd's reaction.

"I didn't blow it up!" Naruto yelled back. "I wasn't even near that god damn hospital!"

Hiashi stood up. "Enough, let us continue with the trial. Naruto Uzumaki, you are accused of the destruction of Konoha Hospital and the deaths of patients. How do you plead?"

Naruto gritted his teeth. This was ridiculous. "I plead not guilty." He would have to play their game for now. He looked at his surroundings. ANBU and Root units everywhere as well as jounins and chunnins just standing around, watching the so call trial.

Hiashi stood there, if he was slowly judging the boy. "Can you call your first witness to the stand?"

"Gladly." Naruto retorted.

As the trial continued, Tsunade sighed in her seat. There was no way for Naruto to win this trial. Everyone is set to see the demon dead. "Why aren't you doing anything Tsunade-hime?"

Tsunade recognized that voice. It was a distinct yet familiar and comforting voice. "Jiraiya, things aren't look great for Naruto…"

Jiraiya looked at the boy. "Yeah... I know. Why the hell aren't you doing something?"

Tsunade sighed. "They have me at a cliff Jiraiya. I can't do anything or I'll be considered a traitor as well."

"Like Naruto would have given a damn?" Jiraiya shot back. He was disgusted with the way things were being ran. This wasn't a trial, it was an excuse to publicly humliate the demon. There was no hope for Naruto, he was up against four of the most ignorant people ever to walk this planet. He silently stood next to Tsunade to watch the trial. Even him, the great hermit, can't do much to help Naruto. The kid will have to use every trick known to man to pull off this last stunt or else it will really be his last.

"I call Teuchi, the ramen chef from the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. He was there when the explosion occurred." Teuchi approached the platform and stood in front of the judges.

Hiashi cleared his throat. "So Teuchi, how long have you known the dem- err boy?" Hiashi corrected himself and waited for the answer.

Teuchi took his time answering. "I known him all of my life sir."

Hiashi stood up and looked at Teuchi as if he was trying to get something out from the man. "Then you know who he is?"

"Of course, he's my best customer. He even protected me from the ANBU when they came to get him." Teuchi replied with a smile. The village was always against the boy, this was his way of showing Naruto that he wasn't alone in this cruel world.

"What did he do to the ANBU that was sent to retrieve him?"

Teuchi thought for a second. "Well first, they asked him to come for a crime he didn't commit but he refused and they started calling him a demon and then they attacked him when he didn't comply with their orders."

Hiashi smiled. "I see, so he resisted an arrest because he had something to hide?"

Naruto scowled at Hiashi. That man was twisting words and explanations to his benefit.

Teuchi was surprised, "No! The arrest made no sense, the boy was eating ramen in my shop when the explosion happened, there was no way it could have been him."

"Were you with him the entire time?"

Teuchi thought some more. "Well no, I had to go and cook something but the rest of the time, I was there."

Hiashi smirked at Naruto. "There we have it, the boy could have created a Kage Bushin and sent it to attack the hospital in your absence. Thank you for your time Teuchi."

Teuchi looked shock at the Hyuuga head. He was about to say something but stopped when he was escorted off the platform. As he past Naruto, he gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry Naruto."

Naruto shook his head. "It's okay old man. Thank you for being here." Teuchi walked off the stage.

Naruto turned his attention back at Hiashi. "You conniving bastard! How dare you twist the story around!" Naruto started to leak out some killing intent.

"You're in my house now Uzumaki. I call forth Danzo to the spotlight." Naruto glared at the man who took his time walking onto the stage. "I'm told that you have evidence to show that Naruto was the one responsible for this?" Danzo nodded his head and proceeded to call his eye witness.

Danzo cleared his throat before facing Naruto. "I call forth Sasuke Uchiha to the stand."

Naruto's eyes widened as he heard the name. Sasuke was the last person he would have thought to be on the stage. Sasuke walked up to Danzo and Hiashi. "Sasuke Uchiha, where were you on the night when the hospital exploded?"

Sasuke took a deep breath before answering. "I was walking home with Sakura when it happened. We were a block away from the hospital when we saw a window shatter and someone jumped out. I immediately activated my Sharingan and recognized the man."

Naruto stared at Sasuke. He couldn't believe that Sasuke was turning against him. "Who was this man Sasuke?"

Sasuke took another deep breath and pointed at Naruto. "It was him sir. He was wearing the same outfit that he is wearing now."

"What!" Naruto shouted. "Stop this bullshit. You know it wasn't me Sasuke!" Naruto shrugged off his guards and walked up to Sasuke. "If this is some joke Sasuke, I'm not laughing! Playing with people's lives is sick." Naruto stood in front of Sasuke's face and held him up by the collar. The crowd started screaming. "You know it wasn't me you bastard."

Hiashi immediately took action. "Someone contain him now!" Naruto was pulled back by five ANBU. The crowd started chanting death to the demon.

Hiashi raised his hand to silence them once more. "How can you be sure it was Naruto Sasuke?"

"Naruto is a master of the Kage Bushin and used it most effectively against me when he was fighting to take me back to Konoha." Naruto stared in disbelief at the last Uchiha.

"What did he do with the Kage Bushin Sasuke during your fight?" Sasuke gripped his knuckles tightly. "He made a Rasengan with a clone to distract me while the real one snuck behind me and hit me on the stomach with a Rasengan."

The crowd gasps. Naruto stared at him in disbelief. "What the hell Sasuke! Why don't y-"

"Silence demon! You have done enough damage!" Hiashi glared at Naruto and had more guards to restrain him.

"Get your hands off me!" Naruto tried to remove the guards off him but failed.

Hiashi turned his attention to several ANBU standing next to Naruto. "Get your captain here now. We might need him for security purposes."

"I'm afraid we don't need to." Danzo interrupted Hiashi. Tsunade gasped at Danzo. '_He knows, that bastard knows.'_

Danzo smiled innocently towards Tsunade before smirking at Naruto. "You're ANBU Captain is right here." Danzo pointed his cane towards him.

Everyone looked around, trying to see if he was really here or not. "Naruto Uzumaki, otherwise known as the Silent Storm or better yet, our ANBU Captain." Everyone stared at Naruto. Everyone was in shock, their demon was the one in charge of the entire village's security and defense. "Isn't that right Tsunade-sama?" Danzo smiled at Tsunade.

Tsunade gritted her teeth and nodded. She had no other choice right now, the spotlight was on her.

"That demon is our captain?" A fellow ANBU shouted from the crowd.

Danzo nodded. "He has been watching you all, monitoring your every movement, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

Naruto growled. He was already hating the man. There was nothing else to hate about him. He stared straight at the tiny man. "When I get out of here Danzo, mark my words, I'm going to make you regret the day you ever took your first breath of air." Naruto tried to break away but failed when more ANBU jumped onto the platform and restrained him.

"See the threat he just made? It shows that he is no longer stable to be your protector, your so called ANBU Captain!" The crowded started yelling and spitting at Naruto.

Tsunade saw enough of this. "Stop this now!" She shouted. "We all have secrets. Naruto's sec-"

"Secret is something more." Danzo interrupted her. "I say it's time we abandon the third's silly law. We have nothing to hide anymore. What do you judges say?" Most of them nodded their head which left Tsunade speechless.

"Stop! The third may be dead but we DO NOT disobey a man's last wish. Have you no honor?" Jiraiya appeared in front of Danzo, staring him down, daring him to continue. The ANBU holding Naruto back tensed up as Jiraiya turned his attention to them. "Release my apprentice now or you'll go through me." The ANBU reluctantly released Naruto.

"Thanks Ero-sennin." Naruto dusted himself off.

Danzo frowned at the turn of events. "What can I do for you Jiraiya-sama?"

Jiraiya stared at the man, this man was so despicable on so many levels. "That law is not to be broken. It is meant to be kept with our generation and is to die with our generation."

"Why don't we just asked the crowd that?" The crowd started shouting and yelling which caused Danzo to smile. "Looks like you just gotten your answer." He turned around and faced the crowd. "We the judges of this trial have finalized our answer. We have came to the conclusion that Naruto Uzumaki, the man known as the Silent Storm, the _Kyuubi no Yoko _will be sentence to death for his crimes of attempted murder of one Sasuke Uchiha, and the death and destruction of Konoha Hospital." The crowd started cheering.

"Silence! This trial isn't over! Are there anyone whose willing to testify on Naruto's behave?" Jiraiya yelled over to the crowd. Everyone quieted down once again. He waited for someone to speak up. "Come on! Aren't you his friends?" Jiraiya growled. This was unbelievable. No one stepped forward to help.

Naruto was scanning the crowd looking for his friends. He saw them spread out. Ino and Sakura gave him a dirty look, which he can figure what they were mad about. Shino stood there with his shades on, showing no emotion what so ever. Shikamaru wasn't there but a shocked Choji stopped eating. Kiba and Lee were looking at him with shocked expressions on their faces. Neji was holding Hinata back, stopping her from running away. The friends that he had were standing there, like they were frozen in ice.

Jiraiya stood there, waiting for anyone to speak up. When no one spoke up, he sighed.

He turned around and walked past Naruto, who was still in shocked. "What are you guys doing! Aren't you guys my friends?" Naruto yelled out. He looked each one of them in the eye.

"You lied to us Naruto! You lied to us about being the ANBU Captain and being the Kyuubi no Yoko!" Kiba yelled back.

"You're nothing but a liar Naruto. You even tried to kill Sasuke and you're the Kyuubi as well? I thought I could trust you but now?" Sakura yelled out.

He stared at them a straight face, deprived of all emotions. "I thought you guys were my friends… " He started shaking his head. "I must have been living in a dream all this time."

"Go to hell demon!" He looked to his right, to see a familiar face. It was Eagle trying to lunge forward but Tiger holding her back. "I knew you were a bloody demon when you slaughtered all those people."

The crowd started chanting "Death to the demon."

Naruto started to back away, fearing for the worst. Tsunade walked up to him and placed an hand on his shoulder. She faced the crowd. "The trial is over!" She took a deep breath before continuing. "The council's decision is …"

Naruto stood there with his eyes closed. If Tsunade was going to do something, it better be now.

"Death." Naruto opened his eyes in shock. Death. The word echoed through his mind. He looked at the person who he could have called an older sister or a motherly figure. She started walking away but took a quick look at Naruto, who was quickly surrounded with ANBU.

"What? Tsunade-sama!" He glared straight at her with his icy blue eyes. She quickly walked back to her seat and sat down. Naruto looked around, surrounded by the very team that he was in charged of.

"Looks like we'll have a new captain soon." Ferret said mockingly. The others just laughed.

Naruto growled. "You're nothing but maggots compared to me. You guys don't even deserve the title of ANBU."

"Get him!" Danzo ordered. The ANBU dog piled Naruto, covering him down. Naruto heard footsteps approaching him, getting closer and closer as each second passed. He looked up and saw Eagle standing in front of him with a sword.

"This is for the hell you put me through." She kicked him in the face, causing him to bleed from the lip. "Hold him up." Her fellow ANBU held him up, in front of the crowd. Eagle started twirling the sword, just to entertain the crowd with her sword skills before stopping in front of Naruto. "Anything you want to say demon?"

Naruto smiled sadly. "Friends are a figment of imagination. I should have known better than to live in a imaginary world." He shook his head in disappointment.

He looked at Eagle. "And you Eagle, are still a weak piece of shit that shouldn't have passed the exam." Eagle gritted her teeth and struck him with the sword, impaling him through the stomach. She yanked the sword out and watch blood spray all over the place.

Naruto ignored the pain and started laughing. "I swear to god that even if I have to go through hell and back, I will come back and kill you all." He glared straight at the crowd before turning his head to the judges. They all shuddered, those were the coldest blue eyes they ever seen.

"Die demon!" As Eagle brought the sword down to strike his head, Naruto unleashed everything. He released the power that he was holding back, the power of Kyuubi and himself, the power of one. Red chakra bombarded the area, blowing everyone away. His wounds started healing at a rapid rate.

He walked up to the judges. "You wanted to see a real demon? Well you got one right in front of you." Naruto released even more chakra, blowing the desk away. It was an understatement to say that they were scared shitless but they turned pale, even in Hiashi's case.

Several ANBU tackled Naruto away from the elders, trying to protect them. Naruto laughed as he saw the pitiful attempt. "Die." With a quick swipe of his chakra, the ANBU were shredded into pieces.

Koharu turned around to see Jiraiya just standing there. "Jiraiya-sama, oh thank god your still here." She immediately bowed to him. "You have to stop him Jiraiya-sama."

Jiraiya laughed. "You expect me to help you after the way you treated him? Die by your own mistakes you old farts. You will not be dragging me down with your pitiful choices." She was shocked as she watched him walk pasted Naruto without doing anything.

Naruto turned his attention to the judges, approaching them slowly. The chakra blowing everything away. Before he took another step, he was hit with a Gatsuga. Naruto gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain. '_Kiba..._'

As Naruto staggered back, he heard a familiar voice. "You are within the range of my Divination." Naruto turned around, only to find Neji in his stance. "**Hakke Hyaku Nijuhachi Sho**"

As Neji attempted to strike, Naruto smirked. He caught Neji's wrist and kneed him in the stomach. "Is this demon enough for you?" He flipped Neji over and threw him towards Hiashi.

Naruto flipped through some hand seals with ease and whispered. "**Futon: Daitoppa**" Winds of great magnitude blew everything and everyone away.

Naruto walked past Tsunade and looked at her for a split second before running away. Hiashi staggered back up to his feet. He watched as Naruto leaped away. "Everyone after the demon!" All able bodies began to pursuit him. Tsunade stood there, recalling the events that just took place.

A pair of crimson eyes watched from a far. He shook his head. '_Konoha's own ignorance will be their own downfall.'_ He continued to hide in the shadows, waiting for the moment where he shall make his grand entrance.

* * *

Authors Note: I don't think I'll be listing the techniques here. I been using them throughout both of my stories but if anything, I will be listing new techniques from now on. 

So how was the story so far? I found it interesting at least. Leave me a review with your thoughts.

Edit October 22, 2007 - Proofreaded and corrected mistakes throughout the story. I'm only one author, one proofreader. If I miss one, I'm sorry. Just leave me a message telling me you found one.


	2. The Plan

Okay, I decided to use the different style boarders for this story. I figure it would be a lot easier to read. Well anyway, this is the next installment of Trust and Betrayal. I hope you all like it. Sorry for the late update. I have taken the liberty of creating a question and answer part at the end of the story to maybe answer some questions.

* * *

Naruto kept running, trying to create as much distance as he can between his pursuers and himself. He felt his heart beating faster and faster; he couldn't believe what just happened. He wasn't stopping for anything, not anymore. There was nothing left for him here. The only thing he had left in this village was his execution date and he was sure as hell that it was one date he will not be keeping. 

Naruto looked over his shoulders while he was running away. He could make out maybe 5 or 6 ninjas currently hot on his trail.

He frowned, he had done those fools a favor by running away and not killing their remaining ninjas but yet they still send them to chase after him? The council must be stupid for sending these young ninjas to their deaths. His battle did not concern these ninjas. It was with the people who sentenced him to death that he had an issue with. Them and only them.

Naruto increased his chakra output, causing him to gain a burst of speed, leaving his pursuers in his dust. Naruto leaped from a tree branch, easily clearing 3 buildings and landing on a wide-open rooftop before disappearing.

As the ninjas reached the point where Naruto disappeared, they looked around, trying to figure out what just happened. "Kiba-san, where did he go?" Kiba stuck his nose up into the air and sniffed, trying to find the right scent. He let out a low growl. He wasn't known as Konoha's best tracker for nothing. He once caught the scent of a missing ninja that was 100 feet away. If he could do that, why couldn't he smell Naruto's scent? It should be easy for someone like him.

"Split up, he's covering his scent somehow." Kiba barked out several orders, sending the men to search the four corners of the village.

Kiba smirked, "Let's see if you can hide now you coward." He stood on the rooftop, surveying the surrounding area for any changes.

A gust of wind blew towards Kiba, causing him to shiver against the cold breeze. "Why do you resent me Kiba?" A hallow voice whispered into the wind, causing Kiba to turn around. To his surprise, he found no one there. His eyes told him no one was there but his instinct was screaming danger. He turned back around and met face to face with an old friend.

"What did I ever do to you?"

Kiba stepped back, surprised by the sudden appearance of the ex-captain. "Na-Naruto!" This was the man who was known as the ANBU Captain, the man who the other villages marked as the Silent Storm. "Did I ever hurt you?" Naruto stepped forward, trying to find some answers.

"Stay back demon!" Kiba quickly regained his focus and threw a kunai towards Naruto. Naruto stood there, motionless as the kunai came towards his face. With a quick swipe, the kunai was split into two. Kiba's eyes widened. The kunai was forged from the hardest metal, there was no way chakra could have done that. He noticed that Naruto's right hand was folded up, like it was gripping something.

"Consider this a warning. If you follow me again, I will dispose of you and everyone else who stands in my way." Naruto stared at Kiba with his cold empty eyes. There was nothing left. Naruto could see the anger and fear in Kiba's eyes. Everyone has turned against him; the entire village was against him. Was there truly no one left in this village that believed him? Naruto felt his heart breaking as these thoughts occupied his head.

"Kibaa!" Naruto heard someone shouting Kiba's name and jumped away in time to avoid an incoming kick. "Lee…Neji…" Naruto said their names slowly as he landed away from the trio. It would seem like reinforcement has arrived. Naruto felt his lips changing into a slight frown. Their timing couldn't be any worse.

"Turn yourself in Uzumaki." Neji stepped forward, determined to bring Naruto back to justice.

Naruto's eyebrows rose. "Do you believe their lies? Do yo-"

"Demons have no right to speak about lies!" Neji barked out.

Naruto found that comment amusing. His scenes went crazy when he saw Lee disappear in front of him. He saw a kick coming from his left side. Naruto raised his arm to guard. Lee threw a hard left kick but was surprised to see Naruto already in position to counter. Naruto caught hold of Lee's kick and threw him to the ground. He quickly put his right hand over his throat. "Move one step and you will be visiting Lee annually at a graveyard."

Kiba was about to step forward when Neji stopped him. "Don't. He's holding a blade somewhat near Lee's throat."

Naruto saw Neji with his Byakugan activated. This was an interesting turn of events; Neji was able to distinguish his weapon now. Naruto moved his hand slightly, causing Lee to wince at the pain caused by the invisible blade. "Smart move Neji." Naruto looked straight into the Hyuuga's eyes. "I will say this once more. If you come after me, Konoha will have three more deaths to mourn for." Naruto made his point clearly by causing some blood to leak out from Lee's throat.

"You won't get away with this Uzumaki. You have nowhere to run." The Hyuuga prodigy pointed out. They had the upper hand here.

Naruto laughed, it wasn't a warm laugh. It was a cold empty laugh. The laugh of someone who didn't care anymore. "Listen to yourself; do you think you won because I'm trapped here? I'm not known as the Silent Storm for nothing Neji."

Neji glanced at him, just a few more seconds. He had to keep Naruto's attention focused on him while he brought Lee some more time. Luckily for them, Naruto didn't noticed Lee's hand movements, which was slowly reaching for the Kunai pouch. In a few moments they would be able to apprehend the demon. "Make this easy on yourself Uzumaki. Maybe the council will spare your life."

Naruto shook his head, "The council members are fools. The people in the entire village are fools. I was an even bigger fool for trusting you guys. Friends… What a useless word."

Neji saw the moment of opportunity; Naruto was preoccupied with his speech to be paying attention to his hostage. Big mistake. "Now Lee!"

Lee quickly knocked away Naruto's right hand and with lightning fast motion, he quickly rammed the kunai into Naruto's chest, just barely missing the heart. Lee pushed the kunai in, making sure it was going in. Naruto staggered back, taken by surprised from Lee's actions. Lee stood up, wiping the blood off from his throat. "You lose Naruto… I'm sorry but this is for the greater good of the village." He stood there alongside Kiba and Neji, who just looked on.

Naruto clutched his wounds, with a shocked expression on his face.

Neji stepped forward. "It didn't have to be this way Uzumaki."

Naruto staggered forward, swaying from side to side. He finally collapsed to the floor, just in front of Neji's feet.

The group slowly approached the body, making sure it wasn't a trap. As soon as Neji's hand approached the body, a hand suddenly jerked up and grabbed his wrist. Neji was taken by surprise, he tried to shake it loose but found the grip unbreakable. "What the hell!" Neji performed a simple karate chop on Naruto's hand but the man did not let go.

"What's the matter? Stuck?" The head turned, revealing a smirking Naruto. Everyone's eyes widened, shocked to see the man still able to move. "By the way, Naruto says boom."

Neji's eyes widened as he saw the Naruto in front of him building up chakra. "RUN!" He shouted out an evacuation order to his teammates but it was already too late. The Naruto that was holding onto Neji's wrist exploded, causing a major explosion that rocked the area, causing damage all over the village.

In a different part of the village, Naruto received the updated information from his clone. It seemed like they played right into his hands, those fools. If they only had taken his warning, maybe they would have lived. Naruto looked behind him; this was the last place they would expect him to be.

Naruto took a step into a grassy area, a place where legends were built on. Legends that shape their daily lives, events that defy explanation. Individuals here whose lives soar up to the heavens or fall to the earth. This is the place where legends are born. He stepped up to a familiar stone, a place where he spent the last 5 months visiting when his nightmares became unbearable, his one place where his soul was finally at peace. He touched the stone and sighed. "Hello… Iruka-sensei…"

- - -

Sakura and her medic team immediately rushed to the area where the large explosion just occurred. When she got there, the sight before her shattered her imagination. This was something that defied all reasoning. Whatever happened here was unbelievable. Instead of the usual block of apartment buildings and stores, it was now a big crater, filled with nothing but rocks and overturned dirt. Ino raised her hand to cover her mouth, unable to believe the events that happened here.

"Oh my god Sakura…" Her best friend called out, snapping Sakura back to reality.

Sakura quickly got her act together, every minute meant losing lives. "Everyone quickly search the area and find me some survivors. NOW!"

The entire medic team spread out, searching for whatever survivors that may still be here. Ino walked up to Sakura, still shocked from the events. "Dear lord Sakura. What do you think happened here?"

Sakura shook her head, praying that there were still some survivors alive under the mess. "I only have a couple of guesses…"

- - -

"It's been a while Iruka-sensei…" Naruto's voice showing some emotion. "I'm sorry that I haven't visited in a while…"

He touched the spot where Iruka's name was engraved onto. "Things have been a bit hectic around here." Naruto chuckled to himself. Things weren't even hectic. Hectic was just a nice way of putting it. Things were thrown upside down and then rearranged beyond recognition. It was just a disaster.

"Maybe if you were here, things could have been different. Just maybe if I were a little stronger, you would have been alive. Maybe if…" Naruto's voice started to crack, tears starting to form in his eyes. "Maybe if it was me, then this village would have been better off." He fell down to his knees, letting his tears hit the soft earth, the place where he considered his home for the last 20 years.

His mind drifted back to the man who he considered family, his older brother. He remembered the day like it was yesterday, the day when his older brother died. Only a few people have tried to talk to him about it but it didn't work. Naruto was always busy, occupying himself with work so his mind wouldn't think back the event. It was hard but he always managed to get through life. This was the way he lived it, the only path that was open to him.

A breeze of wind blew through the area, carrying some leaves along with it. A faint sound emerged from the winds, almost like it was trying to say something. Naruto picked his head up, responding to that voice. The voice sounded so familiar yet so far away. It was the voice of someone that he hadn't heard in a long time. "Aniki?"

His eyes looked up; trying to find the person he missed most. He lowered his head in disappointment when he saw no one. "I'm sorry I couldn't be the person you wanted me to be. I'm sorry for everything!" Naruto continued to cry, oblivious to the person walking up behind him.

"Naruto…" Naruto suddenly jumped up, surprising the person behind him. Naruto found his hands at the man's throat, inches away from crushing the man's windpipes. He was shocked that someone had disturbed him while he was in his special place. The one place where he considered himself safe. His face turned from shock to surprise. "Kakashi…sensei?" Naruto finally realized who the man was.

The white haired man that stood before Naruto, the great Copy Ninja Sharingan Kakashi. Kakashi did the only thing that he could for Naruto. The man hugged him. For the first time since Iruka's death, Naruto never had another hug from someone who has felt the same pain as him.

Naruto felt all his mental barriers failing; the emotions that he held back since his death came rushing to the surface. Naruto cried on the man's shoulder, letting out his pain that he was carrying on his shoulders for the past few years. "It's okay Naruto… It's going to be okay…"

This was the man who the village labeled as a demon, the bloodthirsty killer that was better off dead. If only they got past their ridiculous pride, they would see a suffering human being, a man who was innocent of all crimes, a man who was carrying a huge burden on his shoulders.

Naruto cried for a good few minutes before drying his tears. He let go of his sensei, just wondering why the man was here. "What are you doing here Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto felt something inside him, a feeling that he hasn't felt for a long time, the bond between student and teacher. He felt himself transported back to his genin days, when they were only student and teacher not a demon that was being hunted down by the village's ninja.

"Are you here to kill me?" Naruto stood there, waiting for the man's answer.

"No… This place does not need any more bloodshed. This is a place for the fallen, not a place for blood. Besides, I always come here to speak to Obito as well."

Naruto lowered his head, feeling at ease for the moment. The two stood there for a moment, enjoying the silence.

Kakashi caught scent of something in the air; it was the scent of metal. "Naruto, you should get out of here. Ninjas are coming."

Naruto nodded his head. He looked at the Heroes Memorial Stone one last time. "This is good bye forever Iruka-niichan…" Naruto turned around, disappearing into the wind.

Kakashi smiled under his mask; if the events turned out differently, that boy would have became the best Hokage this village ever had.

"Kakashi-san!" A loud voice knocked Kakashi out of his own thoughts. Kakashi turned around, wondering who else could be here. When he turned around, he saw a group of chunnins with their kunais out. "Did the demon come over here?"

Kakashi sighed before walking over to them. "So they sent chunnins as well?"

The leader of the pack, a big chunnin nodded. The chunnins quickly scanned the area for any signs of Naruto. "They have also sent out several ANBU units as well. All able ninjas are to regroup and gather by the front gate. So did the demon come this way?"

Kakashi tilted his head, his eye showing some amusement. With a quick left hand, the big chunnin went down. Aware of what just happened, the remaining chunnins backed away. "W-what are you doing Kakashi-san?" Kakashi blurred out of sight and proceed to knock out the rest of the team. "I can't allow you guys to do this. I'm sorry."

- - -

The medic team had been digging for the past 10 minutes, trying to uncover something. So far, it was just rubble after rubble. "Sakura-san! I found something." Sakura quickly moved towards the man, hoping that he had found something useful.

As a field medic, you have to be prepared for everything that was to come but this was one thing that Sakura wasn't prepared for. When she got there, her eyes widened, her hands quickly covering her mouth, unable to speak.

Ino saw Sakura's shocked look. She walked over there to see what happened. "Saku-" Ino went into shock as well, unable to believe that this was happening.

The medic team uncovered the body of a well-known ninja, a very familiar one. "Kiba!" Ino and Sakura both shouted. Kiba was no longer the man he once was. He had burns all over his body and his body was badly bruised. If it wasn't for his armor, he would have probably been in worse condition.

Sakura quickly searched for a pulse. "Come on Kiba… Don't die on me here…" She found a pulse but it was low, very low. Her face paled. Kiba might not make it. "Everyone over here! Emergency protocol now!" All available medics began to perform the Shosen no Jutsu. They had to operate on Kiba now or else he wouldn't make it.

Ino backed away, until she tripped on something. She looked down and saw that she tripped over a bloody hand. She quickly screamed, drawing everyone's attention. "I found someone else!" Ino quickly cleared the rubble, revealing Lee and Neji in the same condition, if not worse. They both sported burns all over their face and body parts.

Ino quickly searched for a pulse and felt her heart beating faster and faster as she tried to locate different pulse positions. "They're still alive!" She shouted, drawing Sakura's attention. Their pulse was low which meant their condition was in a critical state.

Sakura left the rest of the team to work on Kiba while she went to work on the other two. Ino stared at the battered bodies of Lee and Neji. "Could Naruto have done this much damage?"

Sakura put her hands above Neji's heart, her hands turning green, which meant the healing jutsu was starting. "It had to be Naruto. Why else would they be like this Ino?" Sakura snapped at her, not really caring for anything else at the moment except for saving their lives. Ino quickly got the picture and went to work on saving Lee.

- - -

Tsunade looked at the mess that stood before her. The impractical stuff like tables and chairs were overturned and people were all over the streets. Lucky for them, Naruto only blew them away with winds and not with anything else. She was lucky that no one was critically injured, except for those ANBU who was stupid enough to get in his way.

She was quickly approached by the elders, who each had a stern look on their face. "Tsunade! Did you see what that demon did? We have to quickly assemble our forces at the front gate. He will surely try to leave the village that way." Koharu immediately pointed out. The demon was already loose inside the village; there was no telling what could happen.

"Don't worry; my Root Unit is already on the job, pursuing the demon as we speak." Danzo smirked. Pretty soon Tsunade will have no choice but to resign and then it would be his time to shine. The Third Hokage was a fool to let that boy live. He lost count of the number of times he had confronted the Third about executing the boy but was merely turned away, stating that the demon was no harm to the village. He silently laughed at the Third; almost wishing he was alive to see this day.

Tsunade looked around, looking for a particular person. _'Damn it Jiraiya, where did you go?'_ If only Jiraiya was here, maybe he could talk some sense into these old farts. She continued to look around, no sign of her old teammate anywhere.

"Tsunade, we're ordering all our forces to stand guard in front of the village gate." Homura spoke up, catching Tsunade's attention.

"Gather everyone and go!" She half-heartedly shouted out. She watched as the elders disappeared, with ninjas slowly getting up and following them.

Shizune appeared next to Tsunade, standing by her side. "Do you think he's going to be okay?" Shizune quietly asked.

"For his sake, he better be." Tsunade felt her knees giving out and was about to collapse until Shizune caught her, providing support to help her to her feet. "Oh Tsunade-sama…" She helped her mentor up and the two of them slowly approached the front gate.

- - -

The village of Konoha, one of the greatest hidden villages to ever exist, was in turmoil. Destruction and death was reeking from the great village. Both villagers and ninjas alike were running in fear, fear that the great demon, the Kyuubi no kitsune was released. The very beast that their Yondime gave his life to seal away.

Naruto quickly ran towards the front gate. If he can exit the village in one piece then he would be safe. No ninjas would dare to follow him into the openness. No one would expect him to just waltz out from the village using the front gate. He was pretty sure the walls were being watched.

Naruto leaped off from another building, forgetting stealth and just quickly using his speed to leave the village. Naruto caught another chakra signal, wait not one but a few chakra signals approaching quickly from behind. He decided not to fight but to escape as soon as possible. He saw a blur appear next to him before spearing him into a nearby building, sending him through several walls before landing on the grounds of an alleyway. He cursed his luck. He was about 300 yards away from the gate and he was caught.

Naruto looked up and saw the person who tackled him. "Sasuke…"

Sasuke stood there, staring Naruto down. "Get up Naruto." He just tackled Naruto through a couple of walls; it couldn't have hurt him that much.

"Get out of my way teme…" Naruto growled. "Or I'll go through you." Naruto slowly got up, easily matching Sasuke's height.

Several jounins appeared next to Naruto, surrounding him completely. The jounins cracked their knuckles, anticipating that a fight would come. "You can't beat all of us Naruto." Sasuke spoke up, making a clear point.

Naruto looked around, chances of escape were low and he knew that. All those missions had given him the skill to analyze his environment carefully. That wasn't the only thing missions taught him. They also taught him survival skills. When plans don't work, which was 80 percent of the time, improvise and execute.

Sasuke saw Naruto's hand twitched and quickly unsheathed the Kusanagi. He disappeared and reappeared next to Naruto's right side, trying to catch him off guard. Naruto quickly blocked with his Kunai. Metal against metal, both sides struggling for dominate control. Naruto matched Sasuke's strength with his own, with both sides not giving up.

The other jounins quickly jumped in, trying to lend support to Sasuke. Several jounins proceed to make some hand seals before performing their jutsus. Sasuke saw the humongous fire dragon coming towards him and quickly jumped out of the way. Naruto saw it coming as well and leaped up, only to be greeted by a drop heel kick from another jounin.

Naruto knew he was surrounded, there was no way out. He kept dodging the series of punches and kicks from the jounins. While Naruto was busy dodging the jounins, he kept one eye trained on Sasuke, who was the most dangerous out of all of them. Sasuke continually went in and out with a series of punches, trying to throw off Naruto's rhythm. He couldn't keep this up much longer.

Naruto found himself backed into a corner, with no chance of running. "It's over for you now Naruto." He saw Sasuke above him, coming straight down with the Kusanagi aiming for a vertical slash. Naruto gritted his teeth, there wasn't much to do, his options were limited to just a few now.

Sasuke quickly came down on Naruto but was surprised when he saw Naruto blocked his attack. Sasuke's narrowed his eyes when he saw Naruto intercepting the attack with his own hands.

"Always so pathetic Sasuke-teme." Naruto quick yanked the sword towards him and mustered all the strength he had left and punched Sasuke in the jaw, sending him to the ground. Sasuke went down hard, unable to get back up. Naruto smirked. "That felt so good." He was pretty sure he had broken Sasuke's jaw. It didn't matter. It was payback and this was a great feeling.

The other jounins growled quietly, clearly expressing their anger. Naruto noticed their slow movements. "You call yourself protectors of this village? You can't even take on one lousy guy. You are a disgrace to this village!" He taunted them, buying himself some more time.

"Oh we'll protect something alright, we'll protect the village from the likes of you demon scum." The closest jounin spat out. They approached him slowly which Naruto hated. If they ran at him all at once, he could have taken them all and won but they were playing it safe. The slower they walked, the more they were alert to Naruto's actions.

The group of jounins suddenly all ran towards him, with their weapons held out to kill. Naruto braced himself for the attack. If he could endure this attack, then he was free to counter. All he had to do was survive this attack. It was easier said than done when you're faced with a group of jounins.

Naruto felt time slowing down; his heart rate beating faster and faster. He cursed himself for wasting too much chakra from his earlier escape. He felt the chakra usage taking a toll on his body. '_Is this the end?'_ He repeated the question in his mind. No. His mind kept screaming the answer, forbidding himself from giving up. He can't give up. They would win if he gave up now. He saw his attackers slowly reaching him, weapons out and ready to kill.

In a split second, everyone froze, unable to comprehend what happened. One moment, they were rushing towards the demon and the next, their fellow comrade dropped dead on the floor.

Naruto's eyes widened. He didn't do this. Someone else did. He saw a hint of silver before the man dropped dead. His mind quickly formulated a plan. "Go ahead. Take another step." Naruto dared the men to step forward. His voice was cold, like a person who has nothing to lose but everything to gain.

The men hesitated, unsure of what to do. It took just a second to see their hesitation but it was just the opportunity that Naruto needed. He focused some chakra into his right hand, summoning his Wind Blade. It felt like second nature to summon it but he still winced at the pain. He dashed forward, his hand aimed to kill.

Within moments, he killed three and left one critically injured. He turned his head to the one that was still alive. "Looks like I missed." He pointed his sword forward, aiming straight at the wound he inflicted upon the man. Pressing it lightly, the man squirmed against the pain.

"You probably think of me as a demon, wait no, you do think that I'm the Kyuubi but after the events today. I would say that you guys are the ones who should be considered demons." Naruto dispelled the sword. The man looked like he didn't have much fight left in him. He leaned over to inspect the man. "You look like a decent man. How would you like to bargain for your life?" Naruto took a deep breath. He felt his body screaming in pain, yearning for a break. That bastard fox decided to cut off all connections with him at this critical time. Just great.

The man whispered something but Naruto couldn't make it out. He asked again. "What's that? I can't hear you."

The man took a deep breath, finding his voice to answer Naruto. "I said my name is Tayu Mashino." The man grunted, feeling the pain.

"Well Tayu-san. If you would kindly tell Tsunade and all her forces to back off. I will leave this village in peace."

The man named Tayu laughed. "You leave this village in peace? Demons like you don't know the meaning of peace." He spat some blood in Naruto's face.

Naruto wiped the blood off his face. "Do a little nice thing…" Naruto slowly lowered his hand. "And this is what you get." Naruto forcefully hit the man's wounded area, causing Tayu to groan in pain. "Now, will you do it or not?"

Tayu continued to laugh. "Never. I might not live to see the day you die but I know one thing. I'll see you in hell." The man took his last breath before passing out.

Naruto sighed. Things weren't exactly turning out the way he wanted. He looked at the dead man. So prideful yet so stupid. They were like sheep being led around by a Shepard, not questioning why to do this or that. People are by nature manipulative and only work for themselves. This was a lesson that he learned the hard way.

As Naruto slowly got up, he felt a great amount of pain erupt from his body. He saw blood coming out from chest. He turned around and saw Tayu standing there, clutching his wound with one hand and the other one thrusting the kunai into his chest. Tayu laughed. "I told you I would see you in hell. Now burn demon!"

Naruto gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain. He quickly pulled away from Tayu and yanked the kunai out. He immediately shoved the kunai into Tayu's throat, killing him instantly. Naruto collapsed on the ground, trying to form the hand seals for a medical jutsu. He chuckled to himself. It was ironic. He never thought there would be a day he would need to use it on himself. Damn the fox.

As Naruto painfully finished the hand seal and began healing, he felt another presence in the alleyway. He scanned the area without interrupting his healing process. "I know you're there. Show yourself." Naruto had to buy himself some more time. He needed to heal the wound and his right hand so at least he could have a fighting chance.

"Naruto Uzumaki…" The mysterious voice quietly whispered into the area, echoing all around. Naruto looked around, trying to recognize the voice. He heard the sounds of a cloak flapping in the wind on his right. He was in for a shock when he recognized the symbols on that dark cloak.

"Akatsuki…" Naruto growled. He moved his left hand over to his right hand, trying to heal it. He was in for another surprise when he recognized the face. "Uchiha… Itachi… " The S rank missing-nin stepped out from the shadows, with a stoic face on. Naruto cursed his luck. Of all the bloody people that it could have been, it had to be him. After the hell he just went through, there was no way he can walk away alive from an Akatsuki member. "What do you want Itachi?"

Itachi slowly formed a smirk on his face as he looked at the mess that laid before him. "It looks like that the great Uzumaki is critically injured. There's a big bounty on your head. Did you know that Naruto-kun?"

Naruto started to scoot back, increasing the distance between him and Itachi. Itachi's smirk slowly reverted back into his stoic face. He drew a blade from underneath his cloak. Naruto stared at the man who was responsible for single handily wiping out the Uchiha Clan in one night, Uchiha Itachi. Itachi approached the ex-captain slowly, showing the blade in its full glory.

"If you're here to kill me Itachi, then wait in line. I got a whole list to go through before you get your turn." Naruto had one eye trained on Itachi while the other one was looking after the healing procedure. Just a few more minutes he told himself. A few more minutes and he can at least have a chance to fight back.

Itachi raised his sword and dashed forward. '_Shit!'_ Naruto saw Itachi running forward and he was backed into a corner. Naruto did the only thing that he could do and that was to raise his arms to block the incoming attack and pray. He waited for the attack but felt nothing. He knew Itachi should have reached him by now but where was the blood and pain? Naruto slowly lowered his arms and looked around. He saw Itachi standing in front of him, holding a sword soaked in blood. He checked his body, it wasn't his blood and Itachi surely wasn't stupid enough to stab himself. He heard a thud behind him and turned around. A body dropped to the floor.

Naruto turned around, surprised to see that there was a person hidden there. He then realized that he missed the man due to a genjutsu placed on the area. Naruto slowly picked himself up, steadily leaning against the wall, watching the missing-nin as he slowly put the sword away. "I should kill you for just being here Itachi."

Itachi let out a small chuckle. "Do you really think that if you kill me here Naruto-kun, they would take you back?" Itachi pointed his fingers outside the alleyway, at the scene of several villagers currently running to safety. "Why would you go back to a village where they hate you and scorn you like a plague. There is much you don't know about Konoha Naruto-kun. I came here to offer you a deal."

"A deal? What kind of deal?" Naruto's interest was peaked; there wasn't any other options left open that he could take.

"We would like it if you would join our ranks Naruto-kun."

Naruto shook his head. "No way. You guys are wanted for a reason. I will not join the likes of you."

Itachi sported a curious look on his face, well as curious as his face would get. "Please enlighten me as to what those reasons might be?"

"For one thing, you guys murder in cold blood for power with no regard to anything or anyone as long as you get it." Naruto hastily answered.

Itachi laughed. "You have become a naïve man Naruto-kun." Itachi then pondered on another option. "How about this then? Follow me outside the village and hear the real truth about the village before deciding if you want to join us or not."

There had to be a catch. There is always a catch. Naruto smirked. "And if I decide not to?"

Itachi shrugged. "You can walk away free and then the next time we meet. We will be as enemies and not allies."

Naruto thought about this offer. He had nothing to lose but a lot to gain. "Fine." Naruto held out his hand to seal the deal. Itachi looked at Naruto's gesture strangely before putting out his own hand. Naruto grabbed it and shook. "So lets leave."

Itachi shook his head. "The deal was that you had to get out. I won't help you. If you can't get out of here alive, then you don't deserve to know." With that said Itachi stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. Naruto dropped his jaw a little. He was taken like a sucker. "Damn it Itachi." He quietly cursed the Uchiha. The next time he sees him, he's going to strangle the damn guy.

Naruto formed his hands into a basic seal and henged into a fellow leaf chunnin. No one would recognize chunnins. They were too low below the power chain to be recognized. He slowly shushin out of the alleyway and into the rooftop, quickly joining his fellow chunnins. He smiled to himself. This wasn't the best plan but all he needed is to conserve his chakra and reach the gate. He was joined up with a team of chunnins who was also making haste to the gate.

Naruto looked over and made eye contact with them. He slowly joined their formation, hoping to blend in. "Did you find the demon?" A fellow chunnin asked.

Naruto shook his head. "No, the bastard ran away before I could track him." Naruto replied with an angry tone. The first step in blending in with the enemy is to be like them. Don't give them too much information and don't act too much into your part. Just be average and observe how others respond.

"Don't worry. We'll get him in the front gate. Everyone's there, even the Hokage." Naruto's eyes widened, he did not just hear that. The plan just got more complicated; there was no way to he could hide from Tsunade. Maybe she wouldn't notice and he can slip behind them. Naruto laughed to himself. Like Tsunade won't notice. She was the one who condemned him to this in the first place.

"What's your name?" A chunnin asked, kicking Naruto out of his own thoughts.

"Tayu Mashino." He quickly used the name of the dead man that he just killed.

"Great to have you on board Tayu-san." Naruto quickly nodded as the group made haste to the front gate.

"Tsunade-sama. Our forces are all here." An ANBU walked up next to her.

"Good job." Tsunade nodded her head and quickly scanned the area, waiting for Naruto. Within the next few moments, ninjas of all ranks; chunnins, jounins and ANBU came gathering by the front gate. It was the largest assembly of ninjas ever since the Third Shinobi War.

"Lets see if the demon can get through us all." A jounin sneered. The rest of them joined in and laughed.

Danzo stepped forward and raised a hand, signaling everyone to be quiet. "We will deploy the forces into 2 groups, the front assault, the ambush team." Danzo pointed to the location of where the ambush team should go hide and wait for his signal while the front assault team will hold their positions.

Tsunade shook her head, feeling her heart crumbling as she watch her power slip from her grasps. She then saw a group of chunnins quickly coming towards them. When they arrived, they greeted their Hokage. "Greetings Hokage-sama." Tsunade half heartily responded and pointed them to be the front assault team.

Naruto surveyed the area. There were less ninjas than he expected. "You there!" Naruto turned around and was met face to face with Danzo. "I want you over there now!"

"Yes sir!" Naruto spoke up in an alert yet boring voice, showing to the man that he was just a new chunnin. Just a little longer, Naruto kept telling himself. Danzo was right in front of him but he can't kill him just yet. No… He was going to make that man suffer a thousands death over before he died.

Naruto found his mind going back to his little discussion with Itachi. The enemies will do anything to save themselves, even if it means forming false alliances. That was the first rule he learned while training for ANBU. Never believe anything the enemy has to say. Always look underneath the underneath. Kakashi's voice echoed through his head. What if Itachi's logic proved true? Naruto slowly shook himself out of his thoughts. The time to act is now, while the enemy is still mobilizing.

Naruto casually slipped behind the front line, making his way to the back. "Hey Tayu-san! Where you running off to?"

Naruto froze in his steps. Damn the insolent chunnin. Naruto turned around and casually rubbed his head, acting like what a normal chunnin would do if he got caught. "They told me to stand in the back. Go figure." He shrugged and continued to move. As he prepared to move back, he felt someone holding on to his wrist.

"Hold on there." Homura said as he grabbed his wrist. "What did you say your name was?" He stared at the chunnin suspiciously.

Naruto smiled. "Tayu Mashino." He said it fluently, without hesitation. Any hesitation would immediately allow the enemy to know that you're lying.

"I see. So how are your wife and kids?" The elder must be on to him. He could kill him here but then he's right in the middle of a war zone. Not a good idea.

"I'm not married elder-sama." Naruto answered. "I like bachelorhood too much to get myself married." He didn't see any signs of a ring on the man's finger before he died so it was a gamble with this answer.

Homura nodded. He let go of Naruto's wrist and walked back to Danzo.

Naruto stopped at the back and watched the man talk to Danzo. He was careful not to make more eye contact or else it would show that you're guilty. He could see Homura talk casually to Danzo but his instincts were telling him otherwise. He saw Danzo glance at him for a split second before turning away. _'Shit, my cover might have been blown.'_ Naruto quickly looked around for an escape route. An idea hit him. If he could walk towards the door, he could henge into something else, something smaller. Naruto started walking away again but decided that this time he would be escaping from the front of the line.

Naruto quickly slipped inside a vacant building, buying his time carefully. He performed some basic hand seals and quietly whispered his trademark technique. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu."

A Naruto clone appeared from the smoke and grinned. "Distraction right boss?"

The real Naruto nodded and pointed to the back door. The clone received the hint and left quickly. Naruto stepped back to the entrance and waited for the signal to come, where his clone will finally make his grand appearance.

"Look there's the demon!" He heard some shouts coming from the outside, feeling the movements. He quickly shushin outside and joined the chase. Hopefully, he can slip behind their forces and leave. Naruto watched from behind as he saw his clone having everyone chase him around in circles. He slowed down his pace, allowing ninjas to pass him and allowed himself to be near the end.

When he saw that he was one of the last ninjas, he stopped in his tracks and turned around. He paid no attention to anything else. He quickly made his way back to the front gate. When Naruto got there, he was in for a shock.

There stood most of the Root ANBU unit along with Danzo. "Greetings Uzumaki." Danzo coldly greeted to his prey.

* * *

Question and Answers 

Q: How old is Naruto?  
A: Naruto is 20 years old.

Q: Where would this story take place if it were to be compared to the storyline?  
A: It would be in the second season of Naruto, where they finally get Sasuke back and the rest, i'll leave it to your imaginations.

Q: How strong is Naruto?  
A: Well technically speaking, he is roughly the ANBU Captain or the Ex-ANBU Captain. I would rank him higher than a jounin but with his special stamina and chakra, I will give him just below kage because he isn't mature enough to handle his issues well.

Well another chapter, let me know what you guys think. I am not discontinuing his story because I like how it's turning out, so don't worry. Hit that button people!

Edit October 22, 2007 - I have proofread the chapter and made some minor changes and fixed some grammer issues. If you find anymore, just let me know.


	3. The Escape

Authors Note: Here's Chapter 3. I rewrote this chapter so if this is your first time reading it but if not, please take a chance to reread it since I have changed it completely. So leave me some reviews when you're done.

* * *

_"The individual activity of one man with backbone will do more than a thousand men with a mere wishbone." _

William J.H. Boetucker 

- - -

Naruto released a small growl as his eyes focused themselves on the figure in front of him. "Get out of my way Danzo." As Naruto stared at the man, he could feel his hands begging to be unleashed, wanting nothing more than to tear him apart.

Naruto moved around slowly, his feet scuffling against the ground. He didn't want to make too much movement. Too much moment would show that you're afraid; too little movement would show that you're unable to move, giving the enemy a reason to attack. As he observed his environment, he noticed that there Root members watching his every movement.

Danzo smirked as he saw Naruto's eyes shifting all over the place. "Let me tell you something demon. There is no way that you can escape from this place alive. I suspected that you might pull a trick like this so I made sure that all possible escape routes were covered." Danzo tapped his cane lightly. "There is nowhere else to hide! I will finally do what the Third could never do and that is to kill you!"

Naruto felt his body automatically preparing itself for battle. His muscles were beginning to contract against each other, getting itself ready to fight at any given moment. He finally understood what his destiny was. It was no longer to become Hokage of this village, it was bring judgment to people that have done him wrong. He was born and raised to fight and fighting is something that he will never escape. No matter where he went, this primeval fighting instinct will always be apart of him. He raised his arms and slipped into an unusual fighting stance. "I'm leaving this village one way or another and I'm intending to leave it alive."

Danzo turned his smirk into a sadistic smile. "Look around you! You are surrounded by my Root. They are the best of the best, far superior than your average ANBU." Without any given warning, every member of Root threw kunais and shurikens towards Naruto. The leader of Root stood there silently, paying close attention to the fight. After a few seconds, he saw the body scarred beyond recognition. He shook his head, disappointed at the ability demonstrated by the Kyuubi. The demon was truly something to be feared. It was rumored to be the strongest of the bijus. A name truly worth to be among the legends. "I thought the mighty Kyuubi no Kitsune would have put up a better fight than this."

Even though the battle was over Danzo still felt uneasy. This feels way too easy. Killing someone of his caliber should not have been this easy but then again, the man in front of him was impaled by so many weapons, it was impossible for anyone to survive. It was a shame though. If the third had let him take the boy as he wanted, none of this would have happened. There were many issues surrounding Konoha he disagreed on but there was no use trying to change the past. Instead of mourning over it, there is the future that one can take control of and now, it would finally be his time to get what he deserved.

"I told you that I would be leaving this hellhole alive."

Danzo stared at the bloody mess standing before him, his eyes shocked. No one could have survived that but this man was still standing here and communicating with them. The weapons came from every direction, making it impossible for anyone to put up any sort of defense. The only way he could have survived this was if he knew the ultimate defense from the Hyuuga. "What the hell… are you?" He managed to stutter out.

Naruto only smiled before disappearing into thin air, leaving the leader of Root even more shocked.

"I am the Silent Storm." Naruto's voiced echoed all around. "And I am your worst nightmare."

Silence engulfed the area as everyone looked around for all possible hiding locations. "Gahh." A Root member managed to produce a sound before dropping dead. Pretty soon, the members of his prestigious root began to drop like flies. Danzo started to panic as he watched helplessly as each of his men dropped one by one to the floor.

_'This cannot be happening.'_ Danzo frantically thought. He was supposed to have the advantage here. His plans could not have any flaws! There was no way he could have miscalculated this. He continued to watch in horror as his entire plan backfire in front of him.

Flashes of yellow moved around his soldiers at a fast pace. Within minutes, most of his soldiers were lying on the floor dead.

"Damn you demon." Danzo cursed as he continued searching for Naruto.

"You're probably wondering what's going to happen to you next. Don't worry, I will tell you. The shinigami is coming." The voice echoed all around, making it impossible to track Naruto down. "Why don't you plead for your pitiful life Danzo?"

"It is not my life that I should be worrying about." Danzo replied calmly. "They will be coming back any moment now once they realize that the Naruto they're chasing is a Kage Bushin."

A kunai suddenly flew towards Danzo, lodging itself in his left shoulder. He winced from the pain, gritting his teeth to keep himself from screaming. He learned through experience that showing any kind of emotions to the enemy was a sign of weakness. It was something he cannot afford here.

"Then I guess I better finish this now." Naruto's spoke again, his voice deprived of all emotion.

Another kunai flew towards Danzo but this time, it wasn't aimed towards his upper body. The kunai hit Danzo near the leg, severing the tendons on his right ankle. Danzo dropped to the ground, unable to support himself with one leg. Another kunai came flying towards Danzo, cutting the other tendon on his left ankle, leaving the fearless Root Leader incapable of running away.

"Just kill me and get this over with already!" The older man yelled. He already lost his arm and his right eye during the second Shinobi War. He had lost his wife and child during the Kyuubi attack. There was nothing else in his life that he could lose at this point.

"No… I don't want you dead... yet. Death would be the easy way out. I want you to suffer the pain you caused me. The pain that can not be healed." Naruto appeared in front of Danzo, finally meeting the man face to face. "I told you that I would make you regret." Naruto shoved the kunai in a little further, causing Danzo muffle his cry of agony.

Danzo was breathing heavily, barely enduring the pain. "I'll get you demon… I'll get you if that's the last thing I do."

Naruto stared at the man, his cold eyes gazing into Danzo's face. "I highly doubt that but for showing me the reality of who I am, I am going to show you an original technique as my going away present." He began performing a series of hand seals at a fast rate.

Danzo's eyes widened as he watched Naruto finish with the hand seals. His right hand began to glow brighter than any fire jutsu known to man. Danzo could feel the heat just radiating from Naruto's hand. "Demon..." He managed to release his final words as he watched Naruto come closer and closer.

"**Seinaru Kaki.**" Naruto whispered the jutsu's name. Holy Fire, a rare technique that he picked up while on his missions. He found it on a scroll that was meant to be seen by members of this particular clan. '_How ironic. A demon using a holy technique. The world must be coming to an end.'_ Naruto mentally laughed to himself. Never in a million years did he think that the first person to witness this technique would be Danzo.

"Consider yourself lucky Danzo-_chan._" Naruto added the suffix intentionally. "You will be the first to see this technique and you will live to tell about it." Naruto reached out and grab Danzo by his neck, smiling at the effects caused by the jutsu.

Screams of a man could be heard from all four corners of the village. It was an inhuman scream that was filled with torture. If anyone witnessed what truly happened there, they would have been plagued with nightmares for a lifetime.

"Never forget Danzo-_chan. _Never forget._"_ The words barely registered in Danzo's mind as the man slipped into unconsciousness.

- - -

"Did you hear that scream Hokage-sama? It sounded almost inhuman." A chunnin called out. He shuddered at the scream. It sounded so brutal.

Tsunade stopped in her tracks, trying to decipher what she just heard. Then it hit her, she quickly turned around and saw the Naruto that they were chasing disappeared into thin air. "QUICKLY, everyone turn around NOW!" Tsunade yelled. She concentrated some more chakra on her feet before taking off in the opposite direction, leaving everyone behind. As she leaped between buildings, she had a faint idea of what happened back there. Some fool probably got into a fight with Naruto and he was probably dead, judging from that scream.

When Tsunade got back to the front gate, the sight before her made her stomach twist and turn. The stench of blood was so strong that it was overwhelming. If she wasn't a former field medic, she would have vomited from the things she saw in front of him. There were so many ninjas were lying on the ground lifeless. Her eyes immediately took her further down the road, where she instantly recognized the lone figure lying in the middle of the road. "Danzo!"

Tsunade quickly approached the man, noticing that his body was shaking uncontrollably. She shook her head as she turned his body over. As much as she hated this man, she cannot bring herself to let him die. Before all else, she was a medic and a medic's first rule is to always heal people before asking them questions. While a patient is in the hospital, enemy and ally alike are treated the same way. A hospital is meant for treating the wounded, where people can make amends, not create war.

She was relieved when she found a pulse still beating from within the man. Her eyes trailed down his battle-worn body, noticing the huge burn scar by his neck. "Dear lord…" She muttered to herself. "Who could have done such a thing?" She examined his neck, those burns were serious and it will definitively serve as reminder for the rest of his life.

"Hokage-sama. Come take a look at this."

Tsunade turned her attention to the person calling her. She walked over to the fallen ninja. "May his soul rest in peace." She lowered her head, giving herself a moment of silence to pay her respects to the fallen.

"These wounds Hokage-sama. They were all done to the throat. Poor guys, they were probably dead before they even knew it. Very precise work too."

Tsunade took a closer look at the ninja's fatal wound. The person who inflicted the wounds obviously had skill. She looked around at the other ninjas, noticing a pattern here. All the people that died here were root members and Danzo himself was lying here as well. She looked towards the unconscious man. '_Not even you deserve this...'_ She started walking away, thinking back to the damage done by this single person. She now knew who could have possibly done this and it was too painful to admit it. There was only one man who could have caused this much chaos, one man who had the power to become the next Hokage but fate intervened and denied him that right. '_Naruto Uzumaki… What have you done?'_

"Hokage-sama. We spotted the demon up ahead and will proceed to give chase." An ANBU appeared besides her, waiting for her orders.

Tsunade shook her head. "Cancel that order." This wasn't a favorable situation for them. If word got out that one of Konoha's own ninja crippled the village, it would hurt their reputation as well as inviting other villages to attack them in their already weakened state. "Have everyone regroup. Bring everyone that you could find to the hospital. If they are still breathing, I want them there now!" Tsunade barked out, trying to salvage whatever hope was left.

- - -

Naruto pasted the front gate, stopping to acknowledge the beauty and history behind it. He remembered this gate well. This was where he received his first beating as a child from some drunken villagers. He took a deep breath as he walked outside. He felt his chest being lighter somehow, as if a huge weight as been lifted. It was no longer his home, no longer his prison that tortured him on days out. It was just a memory now. "The next time I'm back Konoha, it's going to be a bang." Naruto held out his palms, forming a Rasengan on each one.

"**Rasengan**!" He thrust his palms straight into the wooden gate, causing it to be reduced to nothing but splinters. There were no remains of the gate from the powerful attack. It left behind only small remains of what once stood a tall proud gate. "I hope they enjoy the new look." With one last look, the man who grew up without a childhood, the man who took the beatings from the villagers each and every day, disappeared into the vast forest, never to be seen again.

- - -

_An hour later_

Naruto traveled fast on his feet, hoping to create enough distance between him and the village. They would definitely be sending hunter-nins after him as soon as they become organize. He knew what their mission was and he wasn't going to be around for them to finish the job.

Just when Naruto jumped from one tree to the next, he noticed something odd. He felt like he was going in circles. There was no doubt about it. He could feel something different but he couldn't ignore this fake feeling.

He landed near a bush, determined to perform a more thorough check but when he put his hand near the bush, his hand went through the bush, indicating that he was caught in a genjutsu. Naruto frowned, '_Just when was I trapped in this genjutsu? I didn't even detect one.'_

He recalled one of his earliest lessons from Ero-sennin. '_The easiest way of breaking out of a genjutsu is to overload and disrupt the chakra flow.'_ The sannin's voice echoed through his head. He closed his eyes and began the process. Within minutes, huge amounts of chakra exploded from him at uneven intervals.

When Naruto opened his eyes, his surroundings was completely different than before. His senses went on high alert when he felt another presence coming from behind him.

"I glad to see that you are still in one piece." Itachi spoke up, stepping out from the trees, his cloak flapping quietly from the breeze. "You're late."

Naruto glared at the man. "There were some issues that I had to resolve before leaving the village."

"You could have left him for another time." Itachi pointed out.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, wondering how he could have known what happened. His eyes widened slightly when he realized that Itachi never actually left the village, he stayed behind to monitor his activities from the sides. "You don't trust me?"

Itachi shrugged, knowing that Naruto had already figured it out. "Think of it as a safety measure."

Naruto sighed. Talking to this guy was like talking to Gai. Both of them were as strong as they were queer. The only time they were normal was when the situation required it to be. "I'm here about that deal Itachi." Naruto stated.

"Of course, follow me." Itachi turned around and walked deeper into the woods without another mentioning another word. Naruto stared at the missing-nin, wondering why he was being so cooperative. "Are you coming? We can talk about it in a more secure location." Itachi called from over his shoulders. Naruto watched Itachi's retreating figure before following him, his eyes constantly searching the area for any kind of trap.

"Sit." The Uchiha ordered. Naruto looked around, taking his time to inspect the camp. He checked for any sort of traps and hidden weapons. It wasn't because he didn't trust Itachi, it was from his earlier experiences that told him not to put all your trust into one person. "Make yourself comfortable Naruto-kun." Itachi spoke up, interrupting Naruto's thoughts.

"Enough of the small talk Itachi." Naruto interrupted. He was here for one reason and one reason only. To find out what Itachi knew. "I want that information. I held up my end of the bargain. Now it's time to tell me what you know."

"I see subtlety isn't one of your strong points." Itachi commented. "Did you seriously believed that by serving the council, they would respect you? You live in that dream world where you actually thought respect comes from the things that you done. It's time to wake up. You will always be the Kyuubi no Kitsune to them. Uzumaki Naruto never existed."

Naruto growled. "Tell me something that I don't already know. Get to your point."

Itachi glared, "Tell me. How corrupted do you think the village is?"

Naruto shrugged. "At this point, I don't really care how corrupted in their filth they are. They could kill each in broad daylight and I wouldn't give a damn. It would save me the hassle of doing it myself."

Itachi frowned, "Humor me. If you didn't hate them, just tell me how corrupted it is."

Naruto shrugged, not really caring. "Fine. Maybe there's some corruption in power." He sarcastically answered.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, nodding at his response. "You are only half right." He raised his finger, "Now my next question to you is why do they want you dead."

"I'm the bloody freaking Kyuubi. I think that says enough." Naruto coldly answered. His patience was running thin because Itachi was asking questions that served no relevance to his cause.

Itachi nodded, approving of his answer. "When the council couldn't turn you into a weapon, you became a liability for them. You became a danger to everything they stand for. They detested your existence. They were afraid of you, afraid of whom you are, afraid of what you are. When they couldn't turn you into their weapon, they had to terminate you. They couldn't let a loose cannon wander around."

"Why don't you tell me something that I don't already know? If this is all to your secret Itachi then I'm leaving."

"Do you remember the Uchiha Massacre?" Itachi quietly replied. This was a topic that he hasn't shared an outsider before but it was finally time to pass on the story.

Naruto quickly turned his attention towards Itachi, giving him an intense murderous glare.

"I'll take it as a yes." Itachi sat there, unfazed by the glare. He wasn't surprise with the look he received. With his little brother back in the village, Sasuke was a living, breathing reminder of the horrid events that took place that night.

"It was because of what you did that Sasuke turned out like this!" Naruto erupted from his seat, his hand found its way onto Itachi's throat. Naruto slammed Itachi into a tree, his eyes beginning to change from blue to a bright red. Killing intent started flowing out from Naruto like a faucet. Itachi struggled against Naruto's grip as he stared into his eyes. It was almost as if Naruto was staring into his soul, just waiting for him to die so he can devour it.

"It was _you..."_ Naruto coldly whispered. "That set forth the chain of events that forever changed Konoha."

Itachi felt the pressure around his throat increasing. He figured Naruto would do something rational but he never expected him to be like this. He was caught completely off guard by the attack. He did the only thing that could have calmed anyone down. Bring out the evidence. He reached behind his back and took out a scroll.

"Read it and then you will understand." Naruto grabbed the scroll away from Itachi and opened it with his left hand, not releasing the Uchiha. He recognized the scroll, it was a personal scroll from the files of Sarutobi, the former 3rd Hokage.

As Naruto skimmed through the scroll, his eyes widened as he went from top to bottom. He couldn't believe the material that was written on it. It had to be all lies, it has to be. He found his hand shaking. No... His entire body was shaking from the news. He dropped both Itachi and the scroll before falling to his knees.

Itachi massaged his throat, feeling glad to be free from the man's grip. "Do you understand now? We, the mighty Uchiha Clan, was one of the most corrupted clans to have ever lived in Konoha. Bribery, assassination, anything you can name, we did it. We were the backbone of the Konoha, the Konoha Police Force. Who would dared to stand against us? We had the power to conquer Konoha if we so desired it."

"They were your _family_!" Naruto, still shaken up. It went against everything that he was taught, everything that he knew. There was no way the Sandaime could have given the order to execute of the entire Uchiha Clan. The kind old man who gave his life to protect the village and everyone in it.

Naruto closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. "Why would he order something like this? He cared for everyone in this village like his own family!"

"The Sandaime realized that a number of clans were being corrupted from within Konoha. If a plant developed a bad root, you would cut it off before it spreads, to keep the plant normal. In this case, I did exactly the same thing."

"Do you feel no remorse from your actions?" Naruto quietly asked. He didn't even look at Itachi. He just stared straight at the ground, desperately searching for other possible reasons.

Itachi shook his head. "The order was given and it was clear that there couldn't be any survivors."

"And Sasuke?"

"There had to be someone left that can carry this burden and to come after me for the sins that I have committed. I have chosen Sasuke for this task."

Naruto finally picked his head up, his eyes returning back to their original color. Silence engulfed the area, both men unable to find the right words to say to each other.

"You're just like me. We gave everything to serve Konoha and in the end, we were just a mindless soldier who did as they were told but was cast aside when we were no longer needed." Itachi spoke up, trying to show some emotion but failed miserably.

Naruto never looked up, his hands clenching to the ground. "I'm nothing like you Itachi. I'm sure of that."

Was he just another Itachi? Of course there were some similarities but he was different. He had to be.

"I see. I will take my leave but remember, the next time we meet, it will be as enemies." Itachi took a step back before disappearing into the darkness of the forest.

"ARGHH!" Naruto screamed into the air, wanting nothing more than to let this pain out. Birds flew away from the area, trying to get away from the deafening roar.

- - -

Tsunade gripped the table with her bare hands, trying to prevent herself from lashing out against them. It has been two hours since they started this meeting and they were getting absolutely nowhere. "For the last time, it is not his FAULT!" She yelled. These people weren't budging an inch. She tried for hours convincing them that Naruto wasn't at fault.

"Tsunade-sama. With all due respect, the demon almost killed Danzo-san, wipe out about 20 percent of our forces, and caused the deaths of many civilians. How can we just let that slide?" An elder spoke up.

Tsunade growled in annoyance. They were just repeating and rephrasing the same thing over and over. If only there was some sign. Anything would do. "Yo hime." She heard the door open and saw who was poking their head inside. Speak of the devil. He'll do just fine. "Jiraiya." Tsunade nodded her head, granting him permission to enter the room.

Several elders gasped around the room. "You have the audacity to show your face in our presence after what you did? We should hang you for treason." Koharu threatened.

Jiraiya ignored the woman's threat. He received much better threats then that and compared to them, hers was childish. "You have no control over me. I may be a ninja under the name of Konoha due to my contract but nowhere in there does it state that I have to take orders from a group of ignorant fools." He faced the council. "I am Jiraiya of the legendary Sannin, the title given to me by Hanzo himself!"

Both sides greeted each other with an intense glare. "I would have let you guys died in cold blood if I had the chance." Jiraiya boasted, he wasn't afraid of them. These people have tasted the intoxicating essence of power and have become drunk with it. They are just not fit to be on the council anymore.

"Jiraiya." Tsunade called. He was making matters worse than it already is.

"If my student wanted, you guys would have been 10 feet under a long time ago. I truly train quite a few monsters." Jiraiya rubbed his chin, thinking back to his past students. They were truly a work of art.

"Jiraiya…" Tsunade raised her voice a little.

"If I had my way, all of you would be -"

"JIRAIYA" Tsunade shouted, slamming her hands on the table.

"Yes?" Jiraiya looked at her in surprised. He had forgotten that he was in the room with her while he was boasting off his achievements.

"Getting back to business." She cleared her throat. Something had to be done here. The balance of power has already shifted; if she doesn't act fast enough, the council will grow more powerful than the Hokage itself.

"We have decided to put Uzumaki into the bingo books." Homura stated. "He is too dangerous to be left free."

"Fine, Rank A missing-nin." She pulled out some paperwork, getting ready to write down the initial details.

"Rank SS." Hiashi's voice spoke up. Both Jiraiya and Tsunade looked up, wondering if they heard the news right.

"Rank SS?" Tsunade stuttered. "Are you insane?"

Hiashi stood up, knowing that it was his turn to explain the decision. "He is classified as both a Kage Level ninja and he also has the Kyuubi in him, the strongest of all demons. He deserves the rank of SS. He is better to us dead than alive." Other people started to join in, supporting Hiashi of his idea.

"No." Tsunade calmly said. "I refuse to do it." Jiraiya started applauding slowly. "I am the Hokage of this village and I do not see him as a threat. You have elected me as Hokage, to serve and protect this village and I will continue to do it until the day I die!" She finished her speech by folding her arms, glaring at each member. Jiraiya, throughout the speech, stood up and was clapping loudly.

"I don't think you understand the situation Tsunade-sama. We are in a time of crisis, which means that your power and our power are one and the same. During this time, we will vote and decide on important issues that concerns itself with the village." Koharu spoke up this time. "All in favor of the decision. Please stand up." One by one, leaders of different clans started standing up.

Tsunade stared at each of them in disbelief. "Why? Naruto was friends with your children. He would never harm a single hair on them."

"It is because of that reason why we decided to do it Hokage-sama." Inoichi quietly said. "We have children that we want to protect, the children that we want to see succeed us. They are our future and we must protect it for their sake."

Before Tsunade could open her mouth. "Inoichi is right. We're sorry Tsunade-sama but it is only for the best." Shikaku spoke up, interrupting her.

Tsunade felt her anger just about to burst, these people are insufferable, stubborn old fools were too afraid to let go of the old way. She slammed her fist down at the table, causing it to crack a little. "Fine. Do what you want with his ranking but know this, I will not be held responsible for whatever ninjas you send after him." With that last statement, Tsunade walked out of the room, leaving them to think it over.

- - -

Naruto, for the second time today, started to feel tears dripping down his face. "I will…" He sniffled. "I will never be manipulated again. From this day forward, the world and everything else in it is dead to me."

He got up slowly, taking deep breaths. "From this day forward, I will _never_ be a Konoha Ninja again." He summoned his blade of wind, scratching out the leaf symbol on his hitai-ate. "May kami-sama have mercy on the souls of those Konoha Ninjas..." He tied the hitai-ate on his arm.

"Because they will be as good as dead." He slowly walked away, disappearing into the forest.

- - -

"What am I going to do Jiraiya? I just marked Naruto for death. Rank SS? That's just like saying, kill me now." Tsunade buried her head under her arms, feeling her heart breaking.

"I trained that gaki hime. Don't worry. If anyone could survive this, it's that kid."

"Like you keep your eye on those hot springs I bet." Tsunade muttered under her breath.

Jiraiya laughed. "See what you can do. I'm going to start looking for him now." Jiraiya opened the window and jumped away, leaving the Hokage to collect her own thoughts.

A knock appear on the door, disturbing Tsunade. "What the hell is it now?" She barked out. She wasn't in the mood for this.

"The new bingo book Hokage-sama." A timid chunnin answered. She quickly took it and was flipping through the pages until she reached the name she was looking for. Her eyes widened when she read the rank. "So those bastards actually went through with it."

She looked up and still saw the chunnin standing there. "What the hell are you waiting for? Get out of my sight." The chunnin quickly ran out of the room, scared because of all those rumors concerning the Hokage. The Legendary Tsunade, the slug princess, capable of smashing mountains with her bare hands and the best medics that resides in Konoha. It was a death wish to get on her bad side.

Tsunade watched as the chunnin ran out of the room, probably feeling scared. "Shizune! Get in here!" The already pissed off woman screamed. Shizune immediately entered, already knowing what was tormenting her. "Take this down. I want a team of trackers to go after Naruto immediately. I want to hear his side of the story. He is to be approached _unharmed_." Shizune jotted down the message, nodding her head as she took notes.

"Get me Kiba Inuzuka, Neji Hyuuga and Shino Aburame."

"Two out of the three are currently unavailable Tsunade-sama."

"Why not?" Tsunade raised her voice. Things were falling apart here. God she missed her old gambling days. The days where all she had to worry about was debt collectors, not people's lives.

"Kiba and Neji are currently stated to be in critical condition from fighting with Naruto."

Tsunade raised her eyebrow. "At the same time?"

"Yes." This was rather interesting. Naruto just took out two of her best jounin at the same time. "Get me Hatake Kakashi and Hinata Hyuuga." Shizune looked through her list, nodding her head, indicating that they were available.

"Get to it! I want him found ASAP." Shizune hurried out of the room, knowing the state of anger Tsunade would have if things weren't done around here.

- - -

"Things are going accordingly to plan."

A dark figure stood up from the chair smiling. "And Danzo?"

The ninja hesitated before continuing. "It looks like Naruto crippled him and his root unit before leaving Konoha." The man frowned. This wasn't good news. He needed Danzo for the next step. Damn that jinchuriki. He became a wild card that was not to be underestimated.

"No matter. The wheels of fate is already turning. It is only a matter of time before Konoha crumbles under my power." The man started laughing. It wasn't the usual evil laugh from most villains, this one was more sinister, more diabolical. "Well what are you waiting for Sasuke. Get out of my sight."

"As you wish Shinrei-sama." Sasuke bowed and took his leave. Shinrei watched his apprentice's retreating form. "Orochimaru was a fool to let you go. If it is power that you want Sasuke, you better be careful for what you wish for." He started laughing once again before walking out of the room himself.

- - -

**'Well brat. You should have listened to me. Didn't I warn you that humans were greedy and ignorant? All you humans are just too pitiful but it no longer matters, the ends will justified the means.'** A rough and deep voice echoed through Naruto's mind. **"Only the weak needs to rely on people. The strong only depends on themselves."**

Naruto scowled at the voice in his head. _'You dare to lecture me now? Where were you when I was getting ambushed by the village?'_ He still haven't forgotten about that time when he was abandoned by the demon.

**'I'm sorry. Did you want me to hold your hand while we waltz out of the village? In case you forgotten, you have full access to my chakra at any given time. Stop your whining. I didn't train you so you can whine.' **

Naruto felt the voice pounding inside his head, louder and harder each time. _'Enough preaching Kyuubi. I need a place to lay low for a while. Any ideas?'_

The voice chuckled. '**I hope you enjoy hot places.'**

* * *

Techniques:

Seinaru Kaki - Holy Fire. Class A jutsu that would even give Katon jutsus a run for their money. This technique follows the same principles as the Chidori except with fire.

- Why did it take Naruto so long to leap over a wall?  
Why did it take a chicken so long to cross the road? For the excitement, to prove to itself and everyone watching that it can do it.

- Where was Kyuubi during the fight?  
Good question. I'll let Kyuubi answer that. Go Kyu answer them. '**I trained him enough so he can take care of himself. I'm not his babysitter.'**

Edit October 27, 2007 - I have completely rewritten this chapter so please take a look over it. As always please review after your done. Thanks.


	4. The Return

Sorry it took so long but I had to redo a bit of this chapter because it was just too lame but its not anymore! I was kind of disappointed with the reviews. I mean 8? Seriously did chapter 3 suck? If it did just let me know on where I can improve. Words of encouragement is also appreicated.

Again, I would like to thank all my faithful readers and reviews. Before I let you guys go, I joke alot so don't take my comments seriously unless I say it. I also need some people to apply for proofreaders position. Don't be shy, I'm not picky... much.

* * *

A calm breeze blew through the windows as the young Kazekage relaxed in his office. The night was always a blessing compared to the scorching mid-afternoons. He sat in his office, staring at his own hands, his own rough hands. He has been thinking the same thing for the past couple of days now, thinking about the important question. He saw the calendar on the wall and noticed something. Today was the anniversary of the day when he was first instated as the Kazekage. After all these years, he still had his doubts. 

Gaara sighed as he leaned into his chair. Was it really worth becoming a kage of a village? He didn't know anymore. Did he really think that by becoming the Kazekage, everyone would no longer fear him? Whom was he kidding? Of course there was going to be some people who still saw him as a monster but there were others that once saw him as a monster had changed their ways. Did they genuinely change their views or did they change because they were afraid of him. Afraid of the power that he had. He just didn't know anymore. He only accepted this job from Baki because of him.

_Flashback_

"_Why is it so important that you would risk your life to become Hokage?"_

_The man next to him stayed silent. People have asked him in the past and he always gave them the same answer. "I want to be Hokage because it would mean acknowledgement."_

_The two men sat under a shady tree playing shogi. It turned out that the both of them played shogi in their spare time. Shogi allowed them to take a break from reality, allowed them to forget the problems that they were constantly faced with. It was a while before either of them spoke again. _

"_We're different from most people Gaara. We have been through too much hatred to give up now. By becoming Hokage of our respectful villages, it would show these narrow-minded villagers that we are no different from them. We are every bit human as they are." The man said while moving a piece up. "Your move."_

_Gaara stared at the board, pondering about his next move. He could move this piece over there and win the match but this opponent wasn't just anyone. He was a similar being. Naruto Uzumaki. He held him in the highest respect. Gaara weighted his options, wondering if this was the best move or not. He decided to risk it. It was either do or die. No turning back now._

_Naruto sat there as he watched Gaara take his bait. "Check." He heard the young kage speak._

"_Watch the way people move Gaara. There is always an ulterior motive Gaara. Remember that." Naruto moved the piece before into a different position, ending the game. "Check and mate."_

_Gaara stared at the young man before him. He felt himself letting out a small chuckle. "You are a strange one indeed Naruto."_

_Flashback End_

It has been a while since they last communicated. His duties as Kazekage have left him with no time to travel out of the country, much less to visit people important to him. The last time he visited Konoha was a year ago when he was on a diplomatic visit.

"Hello Gaara." A cold voice spoke up, the cloak flapped against the breeze, hiding the person's physical features nicely.

Gaara immediately turned his chair around, his sand already making their way towards the intruder. He narrowed his eyes, trying to recognize his assailant. Cripple then ask questions later. That has always been his style. He raised his left hand, commanding the sand to surround him, intending of crushing his midnight visitor.

"I'm hurt that you don't remember me."

'_He's fast.'_ Gaara thought as the person disappeared, avoiding his sand. He turned his head around and was surprised to see the person standing in the light, revealing himself. It took him a few seconds to recognize his intruder. It wasn't hard to identify him. He only knew a few people that had blond-hair. Temari was traveling to Konoha to visit her sorry excuse of a man boyfriend and then there was Naruto.

"Why are you here?" The Kagekaze asked, lowering his sand. It was rare for a ninja to show up in his office unannounced. "Shouldn't you be in Konoha doing guard duty or something?"

"I no longer have respect for those fools." Naruto coldly answered. "They can rot in their own filth."

Gaara noticed the tone difference in his friend. It sounded more distant, as if it was trying to cover up something. Something serious must have happened if Naruto showed up in his office near midnight with no explanation at all. Gaara also took note that Naruto's facial expression was different. His face no longer showed emotion except when the subject of Konoha was brought up, anger and hatred could be seen from his eyes clearly for a split second before disappearing. He could only venture a guess about what happened.

"You have to tell me something Naruto."

"I don't have to tell you anything." Naruto replied, snapping at Gaara. Realizing what he did, he apologized. "Sorry. I'm just exhausted." He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. It has been a hectic week, running none stop from Konoha all the way here. "I just… I just need a place to stay for one night."

Gaara reluctantly gave in. It was unethical for a kage to house a missing-nin but this was his friend. His very first friend. "Stay in my spare room. I'm sure you know where that is."

Naruto nodded, and walked towards the window. He stopped when a sand shaped hand block his exit. "Do not wake Matsui up. She had a long day." Naruto raised his eyebrow to question Gaara but decided not to when he saw that Gaara-deathlike glare.

The sand slowly dropped to the ground when the two nodded their heads slightly, a silent agreement between men. Naruto disappeared in the night, leaving Gaara to follow behind.

_Next Morning_

Gaara stood outside the door, wondering if it was wise to knock or to just open. If he decided to just open the door, he might see something he didn't want to see where as if he knocked and awaken Naruto, he would probably end up with a Rasengan to the face. It was already 10 in the morning and Matsui would probably kill him for making a mess in the house.

"Naruto. I'm coming in." Gaara said out loud. He figured he would give the blonde a warning before he entered. He leaned against the door, trying to see if there was any movement going inside. Surprisingly, he heard nothing. Taking his chances, he slowly opened the door. He expected the blonde to be snoring or lying unconsciously on the bed. Given his appearance from last night, he half expected him to be knocked out for at least 2 days.

"Naruto?" No answer. Gaara looked around the room. It was still clean, if as there was no sign of a person ever living here. "Naruto. Are you in here?" He asked once more. He looked around in the room, noting that the bed has not been touch but there was something by the table. By closer examination, there was a note left behind that was intended for him

_Gaara.  
Staying here would cause your village trouble. We can't have a missing-nin cause trouble for you now. I'll deal with these problems myself._

Gaara stared hard at the piece of paper, reading it over twice. "That fool!" He cursed out loud. Why must he always play the hero that takes on everyone else's problem? That was one thing he'll never understand about him. Why couldn't he just care about himself before others? Was that just too hard to understand?

"Is something the matter Gaara-kun?" Matsui appeared at the door, looking worried. It was unlike Gaara to just curse without reason.

"Nothing Matsui. Nothing at all." Gaara replied as he crumpled up the paper. If looks could burn, that paper would have been in hell by now.

_- - - _

Two Weeks Later 

The doors opened in a hurry, revealing an anxious Kankuro. "Gaara. I think you should take a look at this." He waved a small booklet in his hands.

Gaara continued to do his paperwork, ignoring his brother's presence. This had to be out by today and he'll be damn if he was late to dinner again. "Not now. Get out."

"But I seriously think you should." Kankuro protested. Gaara looked up and glared at him. "Fine. Have it your way." Kankuro threw the booklet at his younger brother, knowing that without Temari or Matsui here, Gaara wouldn't listen to anyone. He was so focused on his job that he sometimes forget to eat lunch.

Gaara removed the booklet from his face and looked at it. "The new Bingo Book?" He looked at Kankuro, waiting for him to further explain. "Are you hinting that I should quit my day job and make a career hunting these people?"

Kankuro rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Turn to the last page."

Gaara flipped to the last page, his eyes widened from surprise. "What the hell is this?" This has got to be a mistake. "Is this some kind of joke?" He threw the booklet down, anger written across his face.

On the last page, it was a face that they were all too familiarized with.

_Naruto Uzumaki  
Known affiliates - The Silent Storm  
Rank SS missing-nin - To be killed on sight.  
Personal Info: Extremely dangerous and should not approach alone. Wanted for the murder and endangerment of Konoha residents._

"What the hell is this trash?" Gaara angrily shouted, demanding an answer. The sand started gathering around Gaara, responding to their owner's intentions. '_Was this the reason why he left? No it must be something else. Naruto wouldn't kill anyone, must less those villagers.'_

Kankuro backed away, actually fearing his younger brother in years. In all his life, he has _never_ seen Gaara this enraged. Not even back during the Chunnin Exams when his seal was still unstable.

"I want all trades, alliances, resources, anything remotely connected to Konoha in my office within 5 minutes." Gaara growled. If this was some kind of joke, then by all means, he'll show them what it is like to joke with the Kazekage.

Kankuro nodded his head as he left the room, rushing to get the requested items. No one else wanted to be Gaara's secretary and he was the only one stuck doing it. As he thought back to how angry Gaara was, he decided to increase his pace, fearing that this could only lead to trouble. Only a complete idiot would mess with Gaara right now.

_- - - _

One Week Later 

Shizune checked her watch as she waited outside the doors. If she just slightly pressed her ear against the door, she could hear almost everything that was going on in the room. Shizune decided against it. She would have to trust that whatever they're talking about inside would be relevant. Why must she kid herself? Whenever those two get together, they usually first end up drinking sake before Tsunade-sama loses her temper from something perverted that Jiraiya-sama would say. It was almost like a formula between the two. One can't happen without the other.

"Get out. Get out!" An angry voice shouted.

The doors quickly opened as Jiraiya ducked under a flying saucer. "Okay. Okay. No need to get angry." He shouted back. He quickly closed the door, avoiding a head on collision with an empty sake bottle.

"Did you comment about her breasts again?"

Jiraiya turned around and released an inconspicuous laughter, knowing that he was caught red-handed. "What? Shizune-chan. I'm appalled. How could you think that of me?"

Shizune shook her head. It was like teaching an old dog new tricks. They never learn from their mistakes.

"Yeah." The man finally admitted. He had nothing to fear. Shizune wouldn't hurt a person that was like an uncle figure to her.

Shizune held the files closer to her chest and stared at the door. "She's been depressed since he left hasn't she?"

"Yeah."

"Couldn't you do anything to do anything to cheer her up?"

"Yeah."

Shizune felt the last of her nerves twitching. "Could you say anything else besides yeah?"

"Yeah."

That's it. She had it with this perverted man. No woman could ever have the patience to talk normally with him. She quickly kicked him in the groin before allowing herself into the room. Jiraiya was left outside on the floor, groaning in pain as he tended to his family jewels.

"Tsunade-sama. Are you okay?" Shizune asked, concerned for her mentor's well-being. She noticed that Tsunade hasn't been drinking a lot lately and people have claimed to see her actually finishing the paperwork. That itself was frightening.

"Did I do the right thing?" Tsunade looked up, confusion written on her face. "Was my actions justified?" Ever since he left, she began doubting her actions, wondering if what she had done was right or wrong. Every day, she felt her heart breaking into more and more pieces as she wondered what that boy was up to. _'I'll watch over that boy.'_ That's what Jiraiya said while trying to cheer her up. Ha what a laugh. That perverted leech didn't even leave the village to look for him. All he did was stay constantly at her side. She was thankful for that but she'll never tell.

"I don't think you're a terrible person Tsunade-sama. I believe that you did it for the village. You saved his life by granting him his freedom." Shizune replied. "He wouldn't want you to be like this." Ever since he left, her mentor was drowning herself in work, believing that it was the only way she could take her mind off her mistake. Even Jiraiya had to take extreme measures, insulting and being more perverted than usual. It has worked to some extend as she begun to show some life but it was still far from what she used to be.

"I don't think he'll see it this way." Tsunade said as she rested her chin on her arms. "And now Suna has cut off all ties with Konoha. They didn't even give me a god damn good reason!"

"I'm sure everything will work itself out." Shizune replied. She saw an empty spot on the desk and put some more paperwork down.

No one had expected it to happen so fast. Suna sent a messenger bird with a letter personally addressed to the Hokage stating that they were removing all ties with Konoha, ending their alliance and threatened that if they find any Konoha-nin in the village, they are to be executed immediately.

It was an understatement to say that the council was outraged. They were furious, demanding to go to war. It took every ounce of persuasiveness from Tsunade to stop it from happening. They just didn't have enough manpower to march straight into the desert and make war with the Kazekage.

Tsunade groaned as she noticed that her stack of paperwork just increased by 5 inches within the last ten minutes. It was just unheard of.

Shizune giggled as she watched the frustration and anger appear one by one on Tsunade's face. "Don't kill the papers now. There are some important documents in there."

"Screw this." Tsunade took one look at the paperwork and made a face. She got up and stretched her arms, feeling her body coming alive. "It's too nice of a day to be spent cooped up in this stuffy office." She made her way towards the door and motioned for Shizune to accompany her.

Shizune gladly accepted the invitation. It was really a nice day and maybe it was a new day for a new beginning.

As months past, the village begun to recuperate, rebuilding itself from the damage. Villagers were once again happy, knowing that their children were safe. The entire military division of Konoha began to reevaluate their standards, making sure that nothing like this would happen again. Konoha had also begun to offer more training to ninjas, allow them to prepare for any type of situation.

Missions were still being given and completed at the usual rate. Even Kakashi had begun to show up on time, which surprised his team. Sasuke and Sakura were still going out but were taking it one step at a time. Neither one wanted to rush and destroy the relationship that they worked so hard to build up on. Sakura had to sometimes watch Sasuke incase he overdid himself with training. Ever since he was found beaten on the ground, he had taken it on himself to increase his training regimen. No one knows what happened that day but they could only guess.

Team 10 with their sensei, Asuma Sarutobi continued to negotiate with Suna, on a discreet note. Their correspondent? Temari herself. She was in loved with her pineapple-shaped boyfriend but she was too proud to let him know. He was the only reason she ever came back to this place. The group was working on a plan to somehow reunite Suna and Konoha but as their plan goes, they weren't making much progress.

Gai's team was well always Gai's team. Lee and Neji was out of the hospital but was still in no shape to do missions. They were taken off the active duty list and were recovering surely but slowly. That explosion left them scarred for life, a reminder that they were lucky to be alive. Tenten was moved over to Kurenai's team to replace Kiba because he was taken off the active duty list as well.

In many ways, Naruto's departure lead to many changes in the village. Whether it may be good or bad, it still showed them that they were too relaxed and a single man alone was able to cripple half the village's military power. Danzo seemingly disappeared after leaving the temporary Konoha Hospital. No one has seen hair or hide of Danzo since the incident but word on the street was that he was still alive and plotting revenge.

_- - - _

6 months later 

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune shouted as she ran into the room, disrupting Tsunade from her daily nap. Things began to return to normal after a few months and Tsunade no longer blamed herself for Naruto's departure. Things were slowly returning back to the way they once were, with Tsunade sleeping and ignoring the paperwork.

"Huhh? Whzzat?" Tsunade groggily answered. She wiped the drool off her mouth and slowly sat up, wondering what was so urgent that she had to be disturbed.

"Team Kakashi and Asuma have found the entrance to the Akatsuki base. They are currently engaging Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki in battle."

"What?" Tsunade jumped up, knocking over a pile of paper. This was big news. Akatsuki was on the move lately and no one knew why. "Where is the base located?"

Shizune quickly checked her report, scanning the portions quickly. "Kakashi failed to mention their present location." She continued to skim through the report.

Tsunade cursed the cycloptic man, damning him and his lazy ways. "Tell them to regroup. There must be a reason why those two were the only ones there." Tsunade could feel it in her gut, something bad was brewing out there and she didn't like it.

Shizune didn't bother to interrupt. She could hear the urgency coming from her voice. She was only like this when she truly believed it was a crisis. She quickly excused her self and walked out of the room to do what was asked of her.

_Akatsuki Base_

"You're really pitiful Sasuke. You had several teachers and yet you're still weak." Itachi said as he brought his elbow down on Sasuke's left leg, attempting to break the knee. "I shouldn't have spared you back then."

Sasuke jumped up and performed a roundhouse kick with his other leg, trying to get Itachi to release his hold. Itachi ducked under the kick and forcefully threw him towards Sakura. Sakura braced herself to catch Sasuke, keeping the damage done to them to a minimum. "You come in here and expect to kill me at your level? I'm very disappointed."

"You don't know anything about me." Sasuke retorted as he pulled himself off Sakura, making sure she was okay before turning his attention back to Itachi. He held out his left arm and took a deep breath. "**Chidori**" He shouted out while rushing forward, the sounds of chirping echoed throughout the cave.

"Die Itachi!" Sasuke yelled out. He ran straight to Itachi, feeling that today was the day that he can finally have his revenge.

Itachi stood there, unfazed by the murderous intent produced by Sasuke. He merely responded by raising his finger, pointing it at Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun. Wait!" Sakura saw the tiny movement by Itachi and jumped in, realizing that Itachi was planning something.

"Sakura no!" Kakashi shouted. From the corner of his eye, he could see Sakura ignoring his warning. The Copy Ninja was currently preoccupied with Kisame, as a stand in replacement for Shikamaru who was the first to be targeted by the missing-nin.

_With Kisame_

"That tickled but fun time is over. Get off me." Kisame laughed at the pathetic attempt made by the Konoha-nin. There was no way a weakling like that could stop him. They have been fighting for 20 minutes now and he was having too much fun to kill them. The Akatsuki member proceeded to remove the man but to his surprised, he found himself struggling to move his own body. "What the hell?"

"It takes two to do teamwork. Not one." Shikamaru stepped into Kisame's range of vision, his hands by his side. He would allow the missing-nin to witness the technique that was going to be his downfall.

Kisame's eyes widened, surprised to see him still standing. "I thought I killed you."

"Nope. You just missed my vitals." Shikamaru wiped the blood off from the near fatal wound, allowing Kisame to see it for himself. "With Chouji's strength combined with my Kagemane, the unstoppable becomes stoppable."

Kisame gritted his teeth. He didn't like this. He struggled to move his Samehada forward, pushing against the shadows with all his might.

Shikamaru grunted as he tried his best to stop the man from moving. "Do it now!" He couldn't hold it long. Maybe 20 seconds more before he collapses from exhaustion.

Kakashi took the hint and jumped over Shikamaru, his hands going through a set of seals at a fast pace. Kakashi gripped his right hand, feeling the flow of chakra going through it. He ran over towards Kisame, with his right arm resembling the Chidori.

Kisame saw the attack coming and made an attempt to raise his hand, having the Samehada in front of him to block the attack.

"Not this time. I've been waiting a long time for this day." From the corner of Kisame's eye, he could see Asuma appearing in front of him. With a quick slash from the man, Kisame cried out in pain as he watched the man sever his right hand off, leaving himself defenseless against the attack. Asuma took a puff of smoke, holding on to this trench knives tightly. He stood there waiting for Kakashi to finish it.

"**Raikiri!**" Kakashi shouted, extending his arm forward, hitting Kisame above the heart. Shikamaru gasped for air as he fell to the ground, feeling drained. Ino hurried to his side, quickly starting treatment for his wounds. "Why didn't you just let me heal you before?" Her hands were already starting the healing jutsu, feeling glad that all those long hours spent training with Tsunade-sama was finally paying off.

Shikamaru let out a soft chuckle. "It was just part of the plan." He felt body reaching out for him, asking for a rest. He couldn't keep his eyes opened any longer and soon passed out from exhaustion. Ino sat there, concentrating on healing his wound but inside her mind, she was proud of him for holding on this long.

Kisame was a man who was known to have a high pain tolerance but today he discovered a completely new meaning to pain. The wounds he received at the hands of these insects were intolerable. First, he lost his dominant right hand and he was barely alive. Damn these insects to hell! He ignored the pain and delivered a hard left elbowed to the back of Chouji's, rending him unconscious. With fluid motion, he took a step forward and caught Kakashi by the throat, gripping it tightly. "I'll take your death as payment for my hand!" Kisame snarled. He had underestimated his opponents and it has cost him big time. He had to get them now before it was too late.

Kakashi struggled a bit against Kisame, smirking before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing a log in Kisame's procession.

Kisame was caught off guard by the Kawarimi that he failed to notice Asuma appearing right behind the long, his hands on the dragon seal. "**Katon: Haisekishō**" He blew out a lingering cloud of smoke in front of Kisame, trapping him within the cloud.

"Arghh!" Kisame took several steps, trying to escape from the scorching smoke. He ignored the pain in his arms, trying to get the smoke out of his face. His cloak was already torn to pieces from the earlier assault. His mind finally registered that the entire fight, from beginning to end, was just a setup for this moment.

Asuma, with every ounce of chakra left in him, extended his wind element on his weapon before slicing Kisame in half, ultimately ending his life and ninja career.

Asuma walked up to Kakashi, who was barely standing from fighting the S-rank ninja. It took the four of them to bring down this beast. He wondered if they had enough left over to fight Itachi. "And then there was two." Kakashi lazily answered as he collapsed in his friend's arm.

_With Itachi_

Sasuke had a satisfied look on his face when he found his arm piercing through Itachi's heart, smirking as he watched Itachi cough out blood but his expression turned to shock when the Itachi in front of him disappeared into birds.

"This is how you do it little brother."

Sasuke turned around, surprised to see Itachi racing up to him with a Chidori. '_How the hell did he put me in a genjutsu?'_ Sasuke shook off that thought, immediately preparing the require hand seals for another Chidori. "Bring it Itachi." He ran towards Itachi, both Uchihas arching their arm back, gaining momentum. "**Chidori!**" Both of them cried out.

The light was intensified as Chidori met Chidori head on, each one struggling for dominance. '_Urgh. This has to be a joke. Our levels cannot be this god damn far apart.'_ Sasuke struggled to keep Itachi at bay, making sure he wasn't gaining any leverage. He felt his legs giving out as Itachi continued to push, hands locked in combat.

"You lose once more Sasuke." Itachi stood a step forward, using his body weight to gain an advantage. When he saw Sasuke struggling to push back, Itachi immediately withdrew his hands, catching his little brother off balance.

_'Shit!'_ Sasuke felt himself slipping as Itachi release his hand, canceling his own Chidori. Sasuke tilted his head up, to see Itachi smirking down on him. '_It can't end this way!'_

Itachi quickly rammed his knee against Sasuke's jaw, sending the boy backwards. He saw the perfect moment and struck his arm out, the black color Chidori aimed straight for the heart.

"The shinigami will not be claiming Sasuke-kun's soul today Itachi!"

Sasuke turned his head slightly to see Sakura standing there, his eyes detecting chakra gathering in her fist.

"Take this!" Sakura slammed her knuckle into the ground, causing a shockwave that knocked Sasuke off his feet, saving his life. Itachi had a look of surprise on his face when he saw Sasuke drop to the ground in front of him, just missing his attack.

Sasuke saw his window of opportunity and took this chance to counter. He regained his balance on his feet and landed an uppercut on Itachi.

The elder Uchiha took a few steps back, caught off guard from the sudden attack. Itachi wiped the blood off his mouth and smirked. "Good try but it's still futile." Itachi's regular sharingan changed into the Mangekyo and began to spin. As he began calling forth one of the Mangekyo's technique, something stopped him from moving his body.

"For a missing-nin, you're quite careless." Ino whispered as she appeared behind him.

Itachi had no time to react when he felt something stabbing him in the back. Itachi felt his body becoming numb as Ino removed the syringe from Itachi's back. She held Itachi's arm out, preventing him from doing any jutsu.

"Now Sasuke!" Ino and Sakura both shouted. They both knew how important it was for Sasuke to kill his older brother. Ever since he was a genin, he had been waiting for this day, living in hate and sorrow just to kill him and now the chance has finally arrived.

"Today it all ends Itachi!" Sasuke held out his left arm and took slow breaths. "**Raikiri!**" Sasuke yelled out, feeling the power cruising through his veins. This was the improved version of the Chidori, twice the killing power, twice the damage. He had worked hard to get it to his stage and now, he can finally use it for what it was originally intended for, assassination. He dashed towards his older brother, his eyes guiding his body every step along the way.

Itachi closed his eyes, knowing that his death was imminent. There was no use denying it. He had no regrets. He did what was asked of him and nothing more. He felt his heart yearning for him to keep his eyes open, to see his younger brother kill him.

"Today you will finally pay for what you did 13 years ago!" Sasuke took a leap into the air; wanting to finally feel free from the burden he was given to carry. While he was in flight, he saw no emotions in Itachi's eyes, which pissed him off even more. "Even now you still show no remorse for the massacre." He thrust his arm forward, preparing the final judgment for his brother.

In a sudden moment, a cloaked figure that stood by the sidelines watching decided to finally make his move. Within a blink of an eye, the figure disappeared from the sidelines and intercepted Sasuke's attack with a kick to the ribs, sending him away from Itachi.

Sasuke was sent skidding towards the ground, his left arm accidentally touching the floor, resulting in an explosion. Everyone stood there, unsure of what was going on. The figure stood in front of Itachi, his hands inside his cloak. Sasuke slowly got up on his feet, furious at the newcomer's arrival. "Who the hell are you?" He spat out. He had so many chances to kill Itachi and every one of them were interrupted.

The figure ignored him as he carefully scanned the crowd. '_One. Two. Four people left.' _He counted to himself. He turned his attention to the man behind him, finding the scene quite amusing. "Itachi… It seems that our positions are now reversed." Itachi raised his eyebrow, recognizing the voice. He tried to speak but found nothing coming out of his mouth. "Hm? No response? It must have been a pretty strong drug to keep you from talking."

"If you're with Itachi then you are my enemy as well." Sasuke disappeared from his position, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He was moving faster than before but he paid no attention. His mind set on killing the people in front of him. With his Mangekyo Sharingan activated, he was already behind his brother and this mysterious figure. "Nothing will stand in my way. It is my destiny to avenge my clan!" Sasuke quickly performed another Raikiri and thrust his arm forward, intending of ending the fight with one blow.

The figure took his right hand out of the cloak and grabbed Sasuke's left hand, nullifying the attack.

Sasuke looked appalled; he couldn't believe that this person stopped his attack with just a right hand. It was just unbelievable. "Are you always this emotional? Why don't you just be a good dog and play dead." Sakura, Ino and Asuma stared at the mysterious person, each wondering who he was. One thing was for sure, he was strong enough to cancel out the Raikiri with one hand.

"Who the hell are you?" Sasuke demanded. He tried to break free from the man's grip but was surprised at his strength. There was no way he could budge from it.

The figure frowned before answering him. "I'm what you call the calm before the storm."

He lowered the hand and applied more pressure, crushing Sasuke's hand. Sasuke screamed in agony as his hand became useless. "I'm sorry. Did that hurt?" The man then slammed his fist into Sasuke's ribs, breaking several of them. Sasuke dropped to the floor, his body screaming out for mercy. He glared at the man, his eyes glowing with hatred.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed. She charged in blindly and was preparing a punch that could rival her sensei's. The man turned his attention to Sakura, ignoring Sasuke for the time being. He watched as Sakura charged in with her hand arched back, intending to smash it in his face. The mysterious figure stood his ground stopped Sakura's enhanced punch with just an open palm. Everyone winced from the sound of her fist smashing against the man's palm. A painful scream could be heard as Sakura pulled her fist back, several bones broken and cracked in her hand. She sat on the floor, tightly holding her hands while glaring at the man.

"It's been a long time... Sakura." The figure removed his hood, revealing his blond hair and blue eyes.

Sakura's eyes widened as she recognized the figure. "Nah-Naruto?"

Everyone stood there shock. Shock was just an understatement. No one had expected the blonde to show up here outta all the other possible places. Naruto stood there, his face deprived of any emotion as he looked into Itachi's eyes. "My debt to you is now repaid Itachi. A life for a life."

"Why must you always be in my way NARUTO?" Sasuke screamed. It was always Naruto that stood between him and his goals. There was never a time when he had no competition. Sasuke leaped forward, his right hand on the Kusanagi. He brought it down with a diagonal slash on Naruto, aiming to cut off his head.

Naruto stepped forward and caught the blade between his fingers, forcing Sasuke to lower the sword. "If you weren't worth Itachi's time, you are certainly not worth mine."

Just as Naruto was about to say something else, Ino, who stayed hidden behind Itachi, reached for another syringe and jumped behind Naruto, aiming to inject him with the same thing she did with Itachi. Naruto noticed her small figure just in time and turned around, smashing his elbow into Sasuke's face, causing the younger Uchiha to relinquish his hold over the sword. With the sword in his hand, he dodged the stab from the needle by sidestepping the girl twice and ended up behind Ino.

Naruto held the sharp sword to Ino's throat, calm breaths coming from him. "It's been a long time Ino. It seems the years have been kind to you."

"Screw you demon." Ino sneered.

Naruto turned his attention to the others, seeing as how Kakashi was unconscious and Asuma had his hands on his favorite trench knives. "If you would kindly let me leave here with Itachi, I can promise to spare your student's life. It's your call now."

Asuma gritted his teeth. It was a tough decision. There was no guarantee what he would do to Ino and he was down four men. He tried searching for more answers but there was nothing more he could do. There was no way he could beat Naruto in his current state.

Naruto noticed that Asuma was hesitating for a bit, a grin slowly formed on his face. "It's not that hard Asuma. Let me go in exchange for her life, or else I'll send her body back in a coffin." Naruto informed the man. "Konoha will greatly mourn the lost of the Yamanaka heir."

Asuma, in all his years of service, was left with no other option but to follow the orders of his enemy. "Take Itachi and leave." The words painfully left his mouth, already regretting those words.

"No!" A voice shouted. Sasuke struggled painfully to get back on his feet, preparing to what looks like a final Raikiri.

"You would risk her life to complete your revenge?" Naruto asked.

"One lost would mean the deaths of several dangerous criminals." Sakura shouted. She was doing everything in her power to not rush straight into the situation. If they could execute this attack, then Ino's death would not be in vain.

Ino stared at her best friend straight in the eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening. All the things that they been through and this was how Sakura had chose to end their friendship.

"Don't worry Ino. I swear to you we'll get him and avenge your death."

"No. Not this way! I don't want it this way." Ino shouted back. Tears began filling her eyes. She didn't want to die yet. She still haven't done all the things she wanted. She wanted a family, a nice house where her kids can grow up and play. All those dreams that she had started to fade away.

"Raikiri!" Sasuke charged in, aiming to kill everyone that stood in his path. He had put all his chakra into this final attack.

Naruto stood there, shaking his head. "This generation of ninjas that Konoha raised turned out to be quite a disappointment hasn't it Asuma-san?"

Asuma looked bewildered as he saw Naruto disappeared out of Sasuke's way, causing him to collide into Sakura, sending them both into the ground once more. He ignored the loud explosion caused by the attack and scanned the area, his eyes finally finding Naruto standing by the doorway, holding Ino in his arms with a Kage Bushin holding on to Itachi. "The deals off Asuma-san. I will be sending her back in a body bag." Naruto coldly stated.

"Wait!" Asuma shouted at Naruto. If it meant saving his student's life, he would gladly give up his to save hers. He had already seen most of the world but Ino hasn't. Before he could do anything else, Naruto disappeared into the forest, taking with him his student and Itachi.

_- - -_

_10 miles elsewhere_

The Naruto-clone dropped Itachi off from his shoulder, earning the Uchiha a rough landing with the ground. The original Naruto carefully put Ino near a tree, tying her up. He splashed some water over Ino's face, awakening her. "You will tell me what you did to Itachi."

Ino opened her eyes, surprised to find herself staring into the face of her captor. "Why should I help you?" She spat out venomously.

Naruto glared at her. "Even in this type of situation. You're still a bitch. Don't you know when you've already lost?" Naruto pressed a kunai near her throat, allowing her to feel the coldness of the weapon. "They left you for dead. You might as well make yourself useful to me before I end your pitiful life."

Ino felt her fears rising from the bottom of her stomach. She was actually scared of this man, scared that he would actually kill her in cold blood. It was no longer the Naruto she knew. This was the voice of a cold-blooded killer. "Are you going to talk?" Naruto pressed the weapon in, drawing a little blood. "Or do I have to dig a little deeper."

"It was a experimental paralyzing serum. The effects should have worn off by now. Please don't kill me!" Ino answered quickly, fear taking over her body.

Naruto heard some noise behind him and turned his head to see Itachi moving. The Uchiha began to move his body, able to regain feeling over his body once more. "A bit theatrical back there don't you think Naruto-kun?"

Naruto shrugged. "Whatever works Itachi."

The Uchiha nodded. They have lost tracked of the boy since he disappeared after destroying half of Konoha's military force. The Kyuubi container was somehow able to avoid their radar, which made tracking him insanely difficult. "Why did you save me?"

Naruto blinked twice, surprised at the question. Nevertheless, he had a purpose for saving his life. "I've come to take you up on that offer."

Itachi thought it over before answering. In his mind, he was actually impressed with the strength that the Kyuubi container displayed. It would seem like he greatly improved during his travels. "We'll be glad to have you." The Uchiha responded, knowing what offer the blond was talking about. With the loss of his partner, Naruto Uzumaki might make a great addition to the team.

Naruto turned his attention to the whimpering Ino, who was sitting there looking scared. Naruto walked up to her and stared into her eyes. "I could end your life right here but I won't." He looked around, seeing if there was anyone nearby. He took out a kunai and held it tightly, a sign that most people do before stabbing or cutting something.

Time began to slow down for Ino as she watch Naruto come closer and closer, fearing the moment until he actually reached her. Her mind wandered back to Naruto Uzumaki. The enigma of Konoha. Ino couldn't remember spending that much time with the boy because of what everyone said. She could feel his power radiating off him like the sun giving off warmth. It happened so quickly. In a flash, Naruto just disappeared from their lives and reappeared at the trial to just disappear once more. Now the man was standing in front of her, probably going to end her life. If she could go back in time to change all this, she would make sure this wouldn't have happened.

Ino saw Naruto bringing his arms closer and she closed her eyes, anticipating the pain to come. She had gotten cut, stabbed and sliced before and each time, it still frightened her. She opened them a second later when she felt her chains become undone. Never in a million years did she except him to do this. If it was the other way around, she would have done the same thing. Ino looked up and met Naruto's eyes, wondering why he didn't kill her. "Why?" She whispered out.

Naruto stared into her eyes, wondering if she was just stupid or curious. "A storm doesn't always hit everything." He replied, leaving her with a cryptic message. Naruto turned around and took off with Itachi towards an unknown direction, leaving her alone in the forest.

* * *

Authors Note: I assume that the Uchiha Massacre happened when Sasuke was about 7 years old. I couldn't find any credible source so I estimated.  
In this story, the "rookies" with exception to Neji, Tenten and Lee are 20, the other three are 21. 

I believe I OD with the moves Chidori and Raikiri but they looked so cool to pass up. Meh. I didn't like a normal jutsu battle.

Edit October 23, 2007 - I didn't find much errors here so I just changed the borders and stuff.


	5. The Joining

Well, it's been a long time since I last updated but wait no more. Chapter 5 is here. Just wanted to say thanks to all those people who left me reviews and comments. There's an author's note at the bottom so please read that when you're done with the chapter.

_

* * *

Near the boarder of Kaze no Kuni_

"Hold on." Itachi suddenly answered. They spent hours traveling towards their destination point but it was mostly done in silence. There wasn't any need for conversation between them. These were two men that spent most of their life alone and isolated from everyone else. They have learned to survive on their own, shunned out by the place they once called home.

They were labeled as monsters because of their past, the past which no one can escape but only accept. Uchiha Itachi, the man that single-handedly wiped out his clan in one night and Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi container himself. Even if they had conversed, there would be nothing to talk about because these were men of action, not men of words.

Itachi strayed away from the path and landed on the ground, putting a temporarily stop to their journey. "We're going back."

Naruto landed right next to him, wondering why they were stopping. "Is that really necessary?" His voice filled with annoyance.

Itachi noticed the tone and gave him an icy glare. "What does it matter to you?" He bitterly replied.

Naruto shrugged. "I rather not waste my time idling around for useless things." It was pointless to argue at this point. He needed Itachi to get there and if the Uchiha weren't ready to take him there, he would have to play his game for a while longer. He took the initiative and led the way back, his mind focused on only one thing. The joining.

Itachi sighed, shaking his head. "I hope the leader was right about you…" Itachi followed pursuit, hoping to catch up with Naruto before he left him behind.

_- - -_

_With Ino_

It was a complete understatement to say that Ino was mad. She was beyond mad. Not even the wraith of the devil himself could match what she was feeling right now. As she made her way back to Konoha, she was destroying everything in her path; branches, trees, whatever she could take her frustrations out on. Her day went from bad to worse in a matter of minutes. She continued to curse her day as the scenes replayed themselves over and over in her head. It was unbelievable how well choreographed everyone was. It was as if they all had a part in this grand scheme to make her life miserable.

"It was no one's fault but mine that I was captured as a hostage but..." Ino said out loud. This was a tricked that she picked up from Tenten. By saying these thoughts out loud, it allowed her to freely gather her thoughts and approach them in a logical and scientific way. It was also her way of keeping herself calm. She's been known to throw crazy tantrums according to Shikamaru. "I should have never accepted this mission. I knew I should have stayed in Konoha."

A village is defined by how many missions they receive. The more missions that the village receives, the better their reputation is. Missions are also a way to judge ninjas. The more missions that they do, the higher their status is. A ninja's life is only worth as much as their missions. There was really no guarantee to what the occupation of a ninja would hold; whether they would live to see tomorrow or not. It varies due of the dangerous nature of this job.

"To throw away my life like some sort of useless trash, _that_ _is _their fault!" Ino released a small growl, gripping her knuckles tightly. It pissed her off when the person who she considered her best friend, her sister was nothing more than a facade.

"AHH!" Ino yelled out as she smashed her fist into the tree. She winced at the pain but shrugged it off, seeing as how the pain was also relieving her at the moment. "Damn Sakura…" Ino whispered.

Ino took a step forward, preparing to continue with her traveling back home but when she took that step, she felt herself losing focus for a second. Ino staggered back, pressing her palm to her forehead. "Woh... I must be losing it."

An image of Sakura appeared in front of her, a smirk on her face. "That must be it. I'm pushing my body too much and this is its way of telling me to take it easy." Ino reasoned with herself as she continued to stare at the image of Sakura that was fixated in front of her. She looked towards another direction but Sakura was there as well. Ino growl in annoyance. "Why am I seeing her face now?"

"That's simple Ino-pig. You can't stand the fact that I stronger than you and I'm also dating Sasuke-kun. You're just jealous that you can't be like me." A voice similar to Sakura's whispered.

Ino felt her body quiver from the voice. After hours of traveling alone, hearing the voice of the person she wanted to get revenge on wasn't exactly her main concern. "Sakura! Come out here forehead girl." Ino shouted. She took a glance around her surroundings, searching for any signs of a genjutsu.

The Sakura imaged reappeared in front of her, smirking at her once more. "Why…" Ino charged forward, her fist arched back. "Why the hell are you SMIRKING?" Ino cried out as she slammed her fist through Sakura's face. The image slowly faded, leaving the girl completely confused. She had just destroyed a tree but there Sakura was nowhere to be found.

Feeling exhausted, Ino dropped to the ground, leaning against the broken tree. "I seriously need to get back to Konoha…" She whispered into the wind, praying that she'll make it back in one piece.

_- - -_

_With Itachi and Naruto_

"Why are we going back?" Naruto inquired. He already knew the answer but he didn't know for sure. There were some uncertainty in the air and he hated that. It was just one of those rules that men make for themselves. For him, there were a few rules that he lived by and it has gotten him through life so far. Never trust anybody and never assume anything. Those were his top two rules.

"I need to bury his body." Itachi answered. Not many people knew this but they had a bond between them, a bond that was between brothers. They have been partners ever since he first joined the organization and it would be dishonorable to leave his friend like that.

"I don't see that as a valid reason for going back. He's dead. There's nothing we can do. We should be moving-"

Before Naruto could finish that sentence. He was slammed into a tree, Itachi's hand tightly gripping his throat.

Itachi stared into the man's eyes, his Mangekyou Sharingan spinning rapidly. "This is not about what you want to do. This is about what _I_ want to do." Itachi coldly exclaimed.

"Open your damn eyes Itachi. He died because he was weak. The weak has no place among the strong. He might be a partner, even a friend to you but to me, he was _nothing._" Naruto retorted in an equally cold tone.

Both men stared at each other, neither moving a muscle. Itachi finally relinquish his hold over Naruto, dropping him to the ground. "If you _ever_ disrespect Kisame again, I will kill you."

"I would like to see you try Uchiha-san." Naruto whispered, putting emphasis on Itachi's clan name.

Tension began to rise up between the two, each glaring at each other. Itachi stood near Naruto, his figure looming over the man. "Don't try me Uzumaki or I'll show you what a real Uchiha can do."

"Your brother already tried proving that. Will there be a difference between you and him? I surely don't see it." Naruto answered, mocking Itachi.

"My weak brother is blinded by his ambitions. Do not compare him to me." Itachi replied. He started to walk off into the cave alone, leaving Naruto outside.

Naruto sat there and frowned. "A dead man is still a dead man no matter how you look at it." His eyes growing red for a second. "There is no such thing as a good man in this world Itachi..." Naruto said while staring into the cave.

_- - -_

_In Konoha - 5PM_

Tsunade let out a small yawn, stretching her arms. It was that time of day and the paperwork was just high enough to be her pillow. Just as she was about to put her head down, Shizune ran into the room, letting the doors bang against the wall as it opened. "Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade let out a small groan. There goes her afternoon nap. After a long day of paperwork and drinking sake, she deserved a nap. "What is it now Shizune?" Unless half of Konoha was under attack by Akatsuki and demons, there was no way she was leaving her office.

"They're back Tsunade-sama!"

Tsunade raised her eyebrow, not completely sure what she was talking about. "Whose back?"

"Team 7 and 10."

Tsunade sat up; the news had her undivided attention. This was a lot better than doing some lousy paperwork. "Well go get them in here. I have some questions for them."

Shizune hesitated for a second. "Their currently in the hospital at the moment Tsunade-sama. They ran into some problems while encountering Itachi and Kisame."

Wondering what happened; Tsunade jumped out of her seat and made a dash for the door. "Come on! Don't just stand there. We have to get down there." She barked out. Shizune quickly nodded her head and ran after her.

_- - -_

_With Ino_

"My god. I didn't think we traveled that far out from Konoha." Ino mentally cursed. She was a long way off from her destination. There was nothing but trees and more trees. It was already getting dark and she was deciding if she should set up camp or not.

'_Is getting my revenge this important that it's driving me to keep going? I wonder what kept him going...'_ Ino's expression suddenly changed. Somehow, images of him wandered into her mind. She wasn't even thinking about it. She started laughing as she rested against a tree. "I must be going crazy…" She thought back to the times she spent with the hyperactive blonde. Surprisingly, no matter how hard she tried, she had no memories of ever spending time with the blonde.

"Is this truly how much I know about Naruto?" She asked herself. She couldn't remember anything about him, his likes and dislikes, his favorite hobbies or even his birthday. She quickly dismissed those negative thoughts out of her head, wanting questions that could trigger a memory that she forgotten. "There must be something about him that I knew." She thought back a bit further. She got her answer when she remembered something from their genin days.

_Flashback_

"_Naruto. What do you plan on doing when you become older?" Iruka asked. It was nearing the end of the exams and he always did this exercise. He wanted to ask the kids what their dreams and encourage them to follow it. He wanted to play a role in these kid's life, knowing that they might not have much of a life after they graduate._

"_I'm going to be the greatest Hokage there ever was!" Naruto shouted. He jumped on his desk and pointed towards the window. "I will surpass the Yondaime and then everyone will see that I'm better than he is." The class burst out laughing; knowing that he was the class's dead last. A loser who couldn't achieve that dream no matter how hard he tried._

"_You're a loser Naruto. There's no way you could become Hokage. Why don't I become Hokage for you? I have a better chance than you. Heck, even Chouji could become Hokage before you." Kiba shouted. _

_Ino snorted. "Get real Kiba. The only person who could become Hokage is Sasuke-kun." She looked at her Sasuke-kun. The boy of her affections during her younger days. _

_Naruto only smiled. "That teme couldn't hold a candle to my powers Ino-chan. You're better off leaving him for me!" _

_Ino laughed once more. "Get real Naruto. Get real."_

_Flashback End_

Ino sighed. She really had no relevant information about him. She only had bits and pieces of information. Besides the fact that there was only a handful of blondes in the village. She had nothing. She did know that he was going out with Sakura for a while but after they broke up, he just disappeared from their lives completely. Whenever she had hung out with the rest of the rookie 9, Naruto was never there. No one even bothered to bring up his name nor did they seem to care he was missing.

A bit of guilt raced through her heart. '_Was it our fault he turned out like this? Would it have made a difference if one person cared?'_ She tried to picture herself in his place but it was difficult being Naruto. She couldn't imagine just being him. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she never really tried to understand Naruto and because of that, she almost died by his hands. She shuddered at that thought. His cold blue eyes still engraved in her memories.

"Will you truly be happy when you get your revenge Naruto? Is revenge the only path that a person that's been betrayed can take?" She asked. There was no answer, not even a breeze of the night wind. She chuckled at herself. Of course no one was going to answer her. There was no one here in the first place.

She looked up at the stars, searching for some sort of answer. "What made you turn out this way Naruto? Would it have been different if someone cared?" As Ino continued back on her journey, it was by coincidence she missed a shooting star that happened to pass by. It was as if someone was listening to her.

_- - -_

_Konoha Hospital_

Tsunade stood outside the door, catching her breath before entering. She couldn't just enter the room looking out of breath. She was the Hokage; she had an image to uphold. If they found out that she got tired from running here, she would lose respect from her fellow ninjas. She smiled as she heard laughing and talking inside. This was a good sign that everything was okay.

As she opened the door, everyone continued to talk, not noticing her standing there. She let out a small cough, letting everyone know that she was there. "I see that you're all okay."

"Shishou." Sakura replied while everyone else respectfully called her "Hokage-sama."

Tsunade nodded her head and entered the room with Shizune. "I see that you're all back in one piece... with the exceptions of a few." She looked around the room; Sakura had bandages around her hand while Sasuke had them on his upper body. Shikamaru was sitting on a chair next to Chouji's bed, keeping him company. Asuma was standing next to Kakashi, smoking a cigarette in a forbidden zone.

As Tsunade looked around the room, she noticed that someone was missing. "Where's that Yamanaka girl?"

Asuma took one last puff of his cigarette before smothering it on the floor. It was his duty to tell her. She was on his team since their genin days and as her jounin instructor, he will make sure that her death did not go in vain. "She's gone Hokage-sama."

"What do you mean she's gone? She couldn't have disappeared during a mission." Tsunade replied. It was against protocol to run away from a mission. That itself could sentence Ino to death if she was found by ANBU. Noticing that no one responded to her question, she looked around, everyone still with their heads down, avoiding her gaze. She didn't understand the silent treatment. There has to be something they weren't telling her.

"He took her." Asuma finally answered. That was the truth. No matter how much he tried to hide it, there was no use denying the fact that she was gone.

Tsunade looked at the elder Sarutobi, trying to understand the meaning behind that sentence. "We ran into Naruto Hokage-sama." Kakashi spoke up.

"Nar-Naruto? He's alive?" Tsunade managed to stutter out. "What was he doing there? Is he okay?"

"He's -"

"No. I'll tell her. It was my fault things turned out like this." Asuma spoke up, interrupting Kakashi. "You might want to sit down for this. It's a long story."

Tsunade nodded, pulling up a chair. As Asuma retold their mission report in full details, Tsunade went into shock. She couldn't believe that Naruto had a part in this.

"He wouldn't... do this." She tried to convince herself otherwise. There was no way Naruto was the one who attacked them. "Why would he do this!" She demanded.

"Shishou… It's true." Sakura sighed and lowered her head. "He was probably working with Akatsuki... That's the only reason why he would show up there." Sakura fiddled with her broken hand, feeling a slight pain.

"Don't worry Hokage-sama. We'll get him next time." Sasuke confidently replied, wrapping his hands around Sakura's waist.

"Yeah…" Sakura answered, leaning closer into his embrace.

Tsunade felt a major migraine coming on. "Get some rest and then I want you _all_ in my office first thing tomorrow morning." Tsunade got up and left the room, giving them time to recuperate.

_- - -_

_Next morning 10 AM_

"Excuse me Tsunade-sama? Sakura is here to see you." Tsunade looked up from her paperwork to her apprentice standing by the door. Tsunade nodded her head, acknowledging the request. "Thank you Shizune." Shizune closed the door after Sakura entered, ensuring that the things that they were about to be discussing was not interrupted.

Tsunade looked around, wondering what happened to the others. She wanted all of them in her office, not just one. "Where are the others?"

"They were just too exhausted to come." Sakura answered. After that mission, everyone deserved a day off. It had been hard on them all, losing Ino and all.

Tsunade mumbled something about lazy ninjas before pointing to the seat next to Shizune. "Sit. We have a lot to talk about." She cleared all the paperwork just for today. There was some part of the mission report that seemed fabricated. There was no way she could bring herself to the fact that Naruto had really committed these crimes. It was just too unbelievable.

_- - -_

_With Ino_

'_I'm almost there.'_ Ino told herself. She could almost taste it; she was almost home. As she got closer, she saw the new gates of Konoha. Tsunade-sama had invested a lot of time and effort into remaking these gates. She didn't understand why the Hokage would do something like that but Shino once told her it served as a memorial to the ninjas that lost their lives during that fateful day.

As she approached the front gate, she saw a young genin team composed of two girls and a boy leaving Konoha. She couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu as they walked past her. These girls were just like her when she first started, inexperienced and from the looks that they were giving that boy, a fan girl.

'_Oh well. They'll soon learn that life isn't all that glamorous.'_ Ino thought. Her personal life hasn't changed much except that she was no longer interested in Sasuke. She preferred not to be dating and put her social life on hold due to her fellowship with Ibiki. When it came to dating, she had just a few qualities that she looked for in a man; handsome, strong, and knows what he wants in life. She wasn't going to settle for anything less. Her mind somehow conjured up an image of Naruto staring at her with his cold blue eyes.

As she stared back into his blue eyes, she found that she was no longer afraid of them but was mesmerized by it. There was something in those eyes that captivated her. She immediately dismissed her thoughts and headed for the Hokage Tower. She had a score to settle with a certain pink-headed girl. '_Hell is about to be frozen over.'_ Ino thought as she ran through the streets of Konoha.

_- - -_

_With Itachi and Naruto_

"We travel all night to come here and you're still not ready to bury him? You're wasting my time here Itachi." Naruto coldly stated. Sitting against a rock was not his ideal place to be for the past hour. His patience was already running low and he was tempted with just killing Itachi here and now.

"I'll be0 done when _I'm_ done." Itachi replied with his eyes closed. He was currently in a silent prayer, paying his respects for his fallen comrade.

"I don't like it when people keep me waiting Itachi. Do not make me wait." Naruto warned before disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving the Uchiha alone.

_- - -_

_Konoha Hokage Tower_

"So let me get this straight. You are saying that Naruto was the caused of all this?" Tsunade asked, repeating the information one more time. She was having a hard time believing that the blonde would go to such lengths to do something like this.

"That's what really happened Hokage-sama." Sakura answered. She still remembered the time his hallow eyes stared into her when they met. She shuddered at that memory.

Before anyone else could speak, the doors blew opened, revealing a familiar face. "Ino! You're alive!" Sakura squealed. She jumped up from her seat and ran to her friend. "We all thought you were dead!" She attempted to hug the blonde but when she took a step closer, she found herself lying on the ground, unsure of what just happened.

"Don't touch me right now Sakura. The only thing preventing me from killing you right now is the Hokage." Ino threatened.

"Ino! What is the meaning of this?" Tsunade said, surprised to see such behavior happening in front of her.

Ino walked away from Sakura and stood in front of Tsunade, her hands folded against her chest. It was obvious from her appearance that she probably ran all night to return home. "I figure from your voice that you have a hard time believing a word that's coming out of her mouth?" When Tsunade didn't say anything, Ino took it as a signal to continue. "I did not die by Naruto's hand as you can see. If you can overlook her exaggerated story, some parts of it are true."

Tsunade nodded her head to continue, wondering where this was going. "Then enlighten me as to which part was true." She put her chin above her hands, waiting for the story.

"Ino...?" Sakura asked. She was more shocked about the change in her best friend than the story itself. Sure they were rivals but they were always friends first. As Sakura looked Ino over, she could tell that there was something different about her.

"How are you here? We thought he killed you." Sakura asked. She was really curious. Naruto looked pretty damn serious when he made that threat. Something must have happened between them if he just let her go like that.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you guys that I'm not dead." Ino sneered. She ignored the shocked look on Sakura's face as she continued on with her story. "Did she ever tell you how she made that decision that almost left me for dead?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes and stared at Sakura, wondering what Ino was talking about. "What decision did she make?"

"The decision that almost cost me my LIFE." Ino yelled out. All that frustration and anger that she had built out was coming out at once. "She figured that my death would mean something if Sasuke killed the both of them along with me!"

Tsunade dropped her jaw, shocked beyond anything she would have imagined from the new information. "Sakura is this true?" Tsunade stared at her apprentice.

Sakura didn't look ashamed at her actions. She stared right back at Ino, her glare matching Ino's glare. "I did what was right. We all know about the sacrifices that ninjas make. It would have been better to see them dead then alive!"

"Then why didn't you do it?" Ino retorted.

"Because you were the one who got caught!" Sakura yelled out. In an instant, what became a friendly chat erupted into a full-blown argument. The two girls were so into their shouting that they forgot that they were in the presence of the Hokage. Insults and harsh name calling were thrown and unfortunately for the spectators, it wasn't a fun fight to watch.

"GIRLS!" Tsunade yelled out, getting their attention. "Both of you have issues right now and personally, I don't give a damn. You will settle this yourselves but in either case, Sakura was justified in making the correct decision if you could see it as a correct decision." Tsunade closed her eyes, trying to make her headache go away. "Not everything you learn is always the best course of action." She sat back down and pulled out a fresh sheet of paperwork. "Get out before I decide to punish the both of you."

Ino and Sakura quickly took the hint and left the room. Shizune sat there shaking her head in disappointment. "You went easy on them."

Tsunade looked up at her. "Why are you still here? Don't you have some paperwork to do?" Shizune frowned and disappeared, leaving her alone in the office. Tsunade sighed as everyone left the room. She stared at the piece of paper that she just yanked out. "Criminal sightings." She read out loud.

'_Ironic.'_ Tsunade thought. They were discussing criminals and this was the title of the bill she just yanked out. '_Just what have you done now Naruto…'_ Tsunade quickly crumpled the piece of paper and tossed it away. She sighed. She had a feeling that today was going to be a long day.

_- - -_

_With Ino and Sakura_

Both girls walked out of the office, arguing to the point where blood was ready to be spilled. Sakura was all up in Ino's face, her finger poking Ino on the chest.

"What the hell was that Ino-Pig?" Sakura shouted. "You didn't have to go and do that."

Ino snorted. "What makes your life more interesting than mine? You had no right to make that decision."

"You know what Ino? I'm tried of this. Let's settle this once and for all." Sakura challenged. She was tired of Ino's constant whining. She was going to prove to her that she was the best once and for all. She was going to prove to Ino that she wasn't the same girl that needed help from bullies all those years ago.

Ino smirked, glad that Sakura finally got a good idea. "At least now, I know there's something up there besides empty space."

_- - -_

_Training field 9_

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for this Sakura." Ino said as she started stretching. During her lonely journey back to Konoha, she had a lot of time to think about the fight that she wanted with Sakura. This was going to calm her anger and she wasn't going to hold anything back.

Sakura cracked her knuckles. "You know you can't beat me. I wasn't the Hokage's apprentice for nothing."

"And I'm just the underprivileged girl that didn't get that special training. Aw poor me." Ino replied, unimpressed by Sakura's status.

Both girls stood about 10 feet away from each other, waiting for a signal that would begin their fateful match. Ino slipped into her usual stance, her right foot placed forward a bit. Sakura stood there, her glove on her hand. Since her right hand was still damaged, she didn't bother to put on a glove for her right.

A single leaf flew into the field, twisting and twirling in the wind. As soon as the leaf touch the ground, both girls disappeared from sight. They exchanged blows at a fast pace, neither of them was thinking about anything else but winning the watch. Ino ducked under from a left hand hook and twisted her body around, countering it with a hard left kick towards the ribs. Sakura saw her attack miss and quickly jumped away, avoiding the kick.

As soon as Sakura landed, she flipped through some hand seals before slamming them on the ground. "**Doton: Doryo Dango**" Sakura dug her hands into the earth before pulling out a chuck of the Earth. "Take this Ino!" She chucked it towards Ino, wondering what she would do now.

Ino's eyes widened as she saw a huge boulder coming towards her. She jumped away, avoiding the attack. "You're so slow." Sakura whispered into Ino's ear. Ino turned around and perform a roundhouse kick in midair but found that no one was there. "Where are you aiming?" Ino saw Sakura standing on top of the boulder and threw a kunai towards her.

The kunai went through Sakura and embedded itself on it. The truth soon hit Ino as she realized that she was trapped in a genjutsu. "Almost had me Sakura." She held up her hands to her chest. "Kai!" She cried out, dispelling the illusion. She looked around for Sakura, trying to see where she was. The dust was still in the air, allowing Sakura to hide anywhere and buy time to formulate a plan.

_- - -_

_Near training field 9_

"Why are we here again Kiba?" Shikamaru yawned. He didn't appreciate being dragged out of his bed so early in the morning.

"Stop your whining Shikamaru. Akamaru and I saw Ino and Sakura heading towards this training field in a rush. I think they're going to fight."

Lee shook his head. "Kiba-san. Why would they fight? Their best friends." Before anyone could answer him, a loud eruption occurred and more fighting could be heard. "Never mind." Lee quickly said as he ran towards the fighting. Everyone else ran after him, not wanting to miss the fight.

_- - -_

_Training field 9_

"**Futon: Daitoppa**" Ino cried out as she finished her hand seals. Soon, winds came in from all directions, blowing everything away. She had channeled more chakra than usual for this technique. She knew Sakura was hiding somewhere, planning but she was not going to have the chance.

"Take this!" Sakura shouted out as she appeared from behind Ino.

Ino didn't have time to prepare for the impact as she felt Sakura landed a left hook on her stomach. Ino was sent flying hard into the tree, causing it to split in half. She coughed up some blood as she pushed herself to get back up.

"You lost Ino. Give up before I beat you down to an inch of your life." Sakura said confidently. She walked over to Ino and kicked her in the ribs, sending her former friend into the ground.

Ino slowly got up, taking deep breaths. She was lucky that she somehow used the momentum of Sakura's kick and threw herself away, avoiding the attack. "I was never the obedient ninja type of girl." Ino held her hands together and smirked. "I'm sure you remember this one. **Kage Bushin no Jutsu**!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she saw 5 Inos standing in front of her. She gripped her left hand tightly and charged in. She went up to the first clone and went to knock it out of existence.

"**Doton: Doro Gaeshi**." Ino whispered as she quickly put her hands to the ground. An earth wall shot up from the ground, but that didn't stop Sakura from shattering the wall. When Sakura broke through the wall, she was surprised to see Ino standing in front of her with her hands in an oval shape. Sakura immediately recognized the seal and ran for it but several of Ino's clone rose up from the ground, grabbing her ankles and prevented her from moving. "**Shintenshin no Jutsu**!" Ino yelled.

Sakura watched helplessly as she was struck by the jutsu. Ino felt her spirit leaving her body and entering Sakura. From there, Ino had a sinister smirk on her face. "Let's see how pain you can withstand." Ino raised her right hand and Sakura's body responded. "You there." Ino pointed to a clone. "Squeeze this hand as hard as you can." The clone nodded and started to squeeze Sakura's already damaged hand.

"AHH!" Ino and Sakura both screamed. The pain from just squeezing it was unbearable but it must be done. By forcing Sakura's hand to be injured, she can further extract her revenge. Ino endured the pain for another minute before switching back to her body. As soon as she entered her original body, she felt herself breathing heavily and feeling some leftover pain. She glanced towards Sakura, who managed to destroy the clone holding her hand.

Noticing that Sakura was preoccupied with her damaged hand, Ino leaped into the air and landed behind Sakura. She took advantaged of Sakura's pain and smashed her elbow into Sakura's face, causing her to be distorted by the pain. Seeing as Sakura was too distorted to defend herself, Ino continued her assault, throwing a fury of punches towards her chest before grabbing her right hand again.

Sakura groaned from the pain and tried to fight back but Ino was currently applying pressure to her right hand. She gritted her teeth as she felt herself being thrown into the air. By the time she realized what was going on; several of Ino's clones were already up in the air waiting for her. A clone came up behind her and executed a roundhouse kick to her back, sending her from one clone and straight into another. The brutal assault continued until two of the clones combined their kick and sent her spiraling towards the ground. Sakura let out a small cry of pain as she hit the ground hard, causing it to split apart from the force.

Ino jumped into the air, using one of her clones as leverage. She found herself hovering above Sakura long enough for her to execute her final move. "This is where I prove that I'm god damn better than you!" Ino came down hard on Sakura, the impact from her attack cause the ground to split apart even more. "**Kyuukyou Danchaku**." Ino whispered as time suddenly stood still. She could feel her body weight applied more force on Sakura's body. She could hear her muscles becoming more and more tense with each passing second.

Sakura released a bone chilling scream as she felt Ino's attack connect with her stomach. Her body was experiencing a whole new meaning of pain. It was just indescribable. Death was a far better option than lying here in agony.

Ino slowly removed her knee from Sakura's stomach, shifting her weight from her left side to the right. Sakura screamed even more as Ino pressed her weight on her right hand, crushing the remaining bones in her hand.

Sakura gritted her teeth as she kept the tears from falling out. The pain was excruciating to the point where it was unbearable. Sakura mustered all the chakra that she get and threw Ino off her. Ino flipped in the air and landed on her feet, waiting for Sakura to get up. "Come. I'm not done with you yet." Ino stood there, her left hand held out, taunting her to get up.

"Who do you think is going to win?" Kiba randomly spoke up. Everyone was silent. They were too focused with watching the fight. "Their both at their limits right now." Shino replied, speculating the girls. "This is where their paths end. One will fall while the other will walk. Whatever the outcome, there will be changes."

Both of the girls stood there, feeling exhausted from the match. Sakura wiped the blood off her mouth before clutching her right hand. "I could have you thrown in jail for doing this to me Ino. The number - "

"Cut the crap Sakura." Ino spoke up, interrupting Sakura. "In a fight, do you really think ninjas follow the rules? Do you think Naruto followed the damn rules when he let me live?"

Sakura became furious at Ino's behavior. "Rules is what sets us apart from criminals like Naruto! It is because of people like him that makes the rest of us look bad!"

Ino glared at her former friend. "Well I remember a certain someone that already disobeyed a rule. What was it again? Something about deserting their teammates?" Ino threw out.

Shikamaru sighed. "This is so troublesome. Why can't women just leave their emotions at the door?"

"Care to repeat that sentence Shikamaru-kun?" A soft but angry voice spoke up. Shikamaru didn't need to turn around to recognize the voice. "Ah. I didn't mean it like that Hinata." He knew better than to face an angry Hyuuga. Before Shikamaru could explain his answer, Kiba eagerly yelled out thoughts. "To hell with the rules. Finish it!"

In the past, there were no laws; no regulations that were established to govern ninjas. It was back during the era of the Shodaime Hokage where he decided that it was barbaric to conduct themselves without honor, without proper laws. It was for that purpose that the Ninja Handbook was created.

Both girls release a battle cry and charged head on, determined to end this with one final blow. Sakura charged in with her left hand arched back, preparing to slam it into Ino's face.

Ino saw the fist coming and ducked. There was no way that she could match Sakura in strength and she knew it. She had to time her counter-attack at the right moment or else she would lose this match. When Sakura got within Ino's striking range, she saw the moment that she was waiting for. '_Now!'_ Ino opened her fist and let the palm slide harmlessly off her skin, allowing Ino to respond and counter with several quick jabs to her ribs before ending it up with a fierce uppercut.

Sakura felt herself losing consciousness as she dropped to the ground. "I hope that someday... you'll open your eyes." Ino stated as she was breathing heavily. Before anyone could run up and congratulate them on the great fight, Ino disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving everyone to wonder what was going on.

"Sakura-san. Are you okay?" Lee frantically asked. Tenten put a hand on Lee's shoulder, assuring the young jounin that the girl was okay. Lee tried to left her up but Shino beat him to it.

"You're still injured. You shouldn't stress yourself over this." Lee sighed and allowed Shino to carry Sakura to the hospital.

"That was a boring fight." Shikamaru lazily remarked. He didn't bother going with them to the Hospital. It was just too much of a hassle. This was far better than a stuffy room.

_- - -_

_With Ino_

Ino ran way from the training ground at high speeds, her mind frantically searching for a place where she can be alone. She needed time to think about all this. As she ran deeper into the woods, she was taking so many twists and turns that she didn't really pay attention to where she was going and found herself in a field full of flowers. There were so many different kinds of flowers there, each unique and different. The sight before her took her breath away.

As she walked slowly into the field, being careful about not destroying the floral, she soon forgot her worries as she began to identify the flowers. When she was a child, she spent most of her afternoons at her parent's flower shop and because of that, she was able to name most of the flowers. Growing up in a flower shop taught her to appreciate the beauty of these flowers and the meanings that they symbolize.

She let out a small smile as she sat down, tears starting to flow down her cheeks. "Is this what I wanted…? Revenge is suppose to make a person feel good but why do I feel so miserable?" Ino asked herself. Even though she got her revenge, there was that feeling of regret inside of her. No matter how much she told herself that Sakura deserved it, the pain wouldn't go away. It just stayed in her heart, making Ino feel guilty.

"I guess all those stories about revenge being sweet was utter bullshit." Ino said, tears forming in her eyes. Pretty soon, they made their way down her cheeks and onto the ground. She didn't understand why she was crying. Ninjas don't cry. The only time they cry was over a death of a friend. A family member. That was the only time allowed to cry. That was in the rules. Rule #34, A ninja must never show their emotions.

Ino quietly laughed to herself. "I sound like Sakura now…" She gazed up into the sky, the gray cloudy skies. It almost seemed like the heavens were also crying with her, sharing her pains. She couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe she wasn't truly alone.

_- - -_

_With Naruto and Itachi_

Itachi walked out of the cave, his mind and body both exhausted. After spending almost 3 hours in there, it would make anyone exhausted. He noticed that the area around the cave was still in one piece, which meant that Naruto was nowhere to be found. He activated his sharingan and looked around, trying to pick up any faint traces of Chakra residue. He took a few steps forward, trying to locate his wayward partner.

"I told you I hate waiting. You must not care about who you're dealing with." A cold voice whispered from behind Itachi.

Itachi felt his body frozen with fear. He couldn't even turn his head around. '_Was I injected with the drug again?'_ Itachi thought. He didn't feel anything pricking him on his back. He tried to move his mouth to respond but the muscles were tightly contracted together, refusing to move.

"I didn't inject you with anything." The voice answered.

'_Did he just read my mind?'_ Itachi thought but shook off that ridiculous thought. There was no way that telepathy exist in this world. It was just impossible. The Sharingan comes very close but there is no true bloodline that allows a person to read thoughts. It was just impossible.

"Do you want to play a game?" Naruto spoke again but this time his voice seemed to be very distant. Itachi could feel his body responding to the voice, as if it was afraid of him. It wasn't from the fact that he couldn't move that scared him. It was the fact that his body was refusing to move.

Naruto stepped out from the shadows, his cloak hiding most of his physical features. Naruto nodded his head once and Itachi felt his body returning to normal. He moved his fingers around, glad that his body was in his control once more. "What did you do to me?" Itachi asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Naruto turned his head, ignoring the elder Uchiha. "I'm not obligated to tell you anything." The blonde started to walk away, missing the glare that Itachi was gave him.

_- - -_

_With Ino_

It was already nightfall when Ino finally returned to her apartment. She didn't plan on staying out that late anyway. It wasn't because she wasn't allowed to stay out so late but rather, the thought of going back to an empty apartment didn't exactly thrill her. Spending her time in that field of flowers was just the thing that she needed. She was surrounded by flowers, the one thing that reminded her of her parents.

When she was sitting there by herself, she was able to make meditate in peace, regain the inner Ino. They say that jewelry and flowers are a girl's best friend but when you can't afford any of those, just give a girl her personal space and she'll do just fine. As soon as she entered her apartment, she immediately headed straight for the bathroom. All she wanted to do is just soak in there until her skin was wrinkly, not that she would do that anyway.

Her apartment wasn't small, it was just the opposite. It was a two-bedroom apartment fitted with everything that she could need. She never bothered to get a roommate, she just wanted to be alone. She stifled a quiet moan as she entered the bathtub, the warm comfortable feeling that she missed while she was out completing her missions. She felt her troubles just washing away and everything in the world was okay.

Almost nothing could tear her away. Almost nothing except that blonde. Damn that evil, irritating blonde. Whenever she was alone, she couldn't stop picturing him in her mind. It was almost like an obsession. She didn't know what it was about him.

Was it because of his status… his power… or his presence… Ino sighed. She didn't know what it was. There was just something about him that made him from everyone else, something that made him different. Whatever it was, it was making her think about him and she didn't like it.

She remembered the last day that she ever saw of him. It was that day where everything literally went to hell. She remembered him talking about some speech about friends but she paid him no attention. She just went along with the flow, throwing insults at the boy and was blinded by the rational judgment to logically do an investigation herself. Her mentor, Ibiki would be so disappointed at her.

"Damn. I'm no better than the rest of them." Ino said as she dunked her head into the water. She was just like the villagers, treating him like the plague after finding out what he was. She screamed underwater, wanting to release her guilty conscience. She didn't want to feel this way anymore and to make it worse, he had spared her life. That was the thing that pissed her off the most. She wouldn't be like this if he had killed her but then again, maybe killing her wasn't his motive. There was just too many unanswered questions.

_- - -_

_Tomorrow Morning_

Ino briskly walked into the Hokage Tower, feeling nervous. Having practicing the speech that she was going to give the Hokage, she was a bit jumpy. She walked up to the front desk, greeting Shizune. "Good morning Shizune-san. Is Tsunade-sama in right now?"

Shizune turned around and stared at the almost closed door. She put her ear next to the door and listened to it. No snoring. Good it meant that she was awake. "Go right ahead Ino." Shizune replied with a smile.

Ino thanked her and walked in. Tsunade was reading a newspaper when Ino walked in, not really noticing her presence. Ino knocked on the door lightly, hoping to catch her attention. "Excuse me Hokage-sama?"

"Yes?" Tsunade looked up and saw the young Yamanaka standing at her door. "What can I do for you today?"

"Um...I was wondering if I could get some time off." Ino answered.

Tsunade choked on her tea, surprised by her request. "What?"

"I want some time off." Ino repeated. She could understand just how hard it is to let one of their best take time off but she needed this. If she doesn't take this time off, she might end up doing something that she will regret later on.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, carefully studying the girl. "And what are you reasons for taking time off?"

"This is just something that I have to do." Ino fiddled around with her fingers, feeling nervous as the Hokage stared her down. She's been here plenty of times reporting mission reports but this was different. She was asking the Hokage about something personal here.

Tsunade shook her head. "That isn't a good enough reason. You must have a personal objective here. Why don't you tell me what's going on and I'll see what I can do for you."

Ino hesitated for a bit, unsure if she should tell her. She spent the entire night preparing for this but here she was, standing in front of Tsunade speechless, unable to remember any words. "I... just want some time away from my friends."

"Is this about what happened on your last mission?" Tsunade inquired. She saw the look in Ino's eyes, the pain that she was trying to mask. It was normal that everyone experiences hurt some time in their life but it is how they heal from it that sets them apart from everyone else.

"Hai." Ino slowly answered. She couldn't be around her friends right now. She wasn't ready to forgive them yet. It was just too painful.

Tsunade sighed. "6 months Ino. I'm giving you 6 months to do whatever that you must do but after that, I'm assigning you back on the active duty list. Do you understand me?"

Ino nodded her head eagerly. She was expecting 2 months at max but 6 months was even better. "Thank you Hokage-sama." She bowed her head and left the room.

Tsunade watched the girl leave her office. She had a similar look that Naruto had in his eyes when she saw him without his mask. It was that tiny spark of hurt. The human heart had a limit on how much pain it can handle. Too much and the person will crack. "If only your parents were still alive Ino..." She couldn't think more about this issue. Ino has to deal with her problems by herself. She was a strong girl, she should be able to do it.

_- - -_

_With Naruto_

Naruto was walking around the forest until he felt a familiar presence coming up from behind. "Did you finally catch up?" Naruto inquired. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

Itachi walked up next to him, not even out of breath. "You slowed down." He replied in a monotone voice.

"I don't remember the way." Naruto stated.

Itachi turned his head, as if he was searching for something. "It doesn't matter. We're here."

Naruto frowned. They were in a middle of a forest, there was nothing around here but trees and more trees. They weren't even near Kaze no Kuni. "Here is where?"

Itachi pointed towards a grove of vines was growing between two large trees. "The base."

Naruto looked around and saw nothing that even remotely resembled a base. "If you're wasting my time Itachi, I swear I will..."

"You'll what?" Itachi spoke up, staring Naruto in the eye. "Kill me? You can't kill me. You need me."

Naruto glared back. "I've been known to defy rumors." Naruto walked up for a closer examination, noticing that it was a genjutsu covering the area. A very large one in fact.

Itachi approached the vines and touched it, the ring on his finger started to light up. The vines themselves started to split apart, granting them entrance to a hidden cave.

Naruto walked in, amazed at the formation. There was no way he would have figured out the location of the base by himself. It was just too well hidden. "Greetings Uzumaki-san." A cold voice greeted him.

Naruto tilted his head upwards a bit, his eyes staring at the figure standing on a statue. He narrowed his eyes as he carefully studied the figure. "It looks like those rumors of your death was greatly exaggerated Pein."

* * *

Techniques

**Doton: Doryo Dango -**** They call it Mausoleum Earth Dumpling but I'm calling it Earth Boulder. Same use, different names.  
****Doton: Doro Gaeshi -**** They call it Earth Overturn but I'm calling it Earth Wall. Basically, a wall of earth is used for protection.  
****Kyuukyou Danchaku -**** Final Impact. This is Ino's new move that requires her opponent to be held down while she dives from the sky at her opponent.  
****Shintenshin no Jutsu**** - Ino's family technique. Mind Body Change Technique.**

Question and Answers Area

Question: Why didn't Ino flat out kill Sakura? I mean come on. She deserved it.  
Answer: Ino and Sakura are best friends and what happened to Ino was unforunate but that does not allow a person to go as far as killing their best friend.

Question: Why didn't Naruto kill those Konoha Ninjas? Why doesn't he just cut their throats and end it all?  
Answer: If he did that, there wouldn't be much of a story would there? His time will come. Just hold out for a bit longer.

Question: Where was Sasuke when Sakura got beat?  
Answer: Sasuke was in the hospital recovering.

**Authors Note:** Okay. I just wanted to say that this chapter was a pain to write and edit. I had it all planned out in my head but as you know, writing changes everything. I feel that this chapter lacks the interaction between Naruto and Konoha but that's just me. I will honestly say that this chapter, besides the first chapter, has done quite a fair share of rewrites.

Now here comes the bad news. I won't be releasing the next chapter for a while because of the manga. They're currently doing the arc of Akatsuki and I just wanted to see how far that goes before I continue on with Pain's relationship. If the manga isn't related to my ideas, the next chapter will be coming out soon but if it is, I will be waiting until further developments occur.

Yes, I know there are some errors from chapters 1 to 4 and I'm sure there are some here as well. I'm only one man whose doing so much but I'm going to go through each chapter in November during thanksgiving break to try and fix them so maybe one more release from this story and then its editing time.

Props to the people who gave me answers to what Sasuke's age was when his clan was murdered but unfortunately, there were different answers so I couldn't really change it. I will be doing a more in depth research on the Uchiha Massacre later on. The issue is still not resolved and will play a part later on in this story. I already have the entire plot line done and its just these minor details and me wanting to finish Exiled Legend so that's slowing me down from updating this story but don't let that stop you from reading and reviewing.


	6. The Meeting

Yes! I'm still alive and I hope that my long absence hasn't really discouraged a lot of people from reading my story. I'm finally done with my finals and I'm finally got my hands on a great beta. Please give a warm welcome to **Shadow of the Sun**. He was a great help in beta-reading my chapter and actually had the patience to work with me. For that, he deserves a big award!

I will once again update my story on a weekly basis so fear not, I'm back until the next time I have finals. Without further ado, the next chapter.

* * *

"I assure you Uzumaki-san. Those rumors were gravely mistaken." Pein answered, his eyes boring into Naruto. 

Naruto took a step forward, keeping his eyes on the infamous Akatsuki leader. "Rumors are merely fabrications of the truth. To a certain extent, they might even hold a little bit of truth."

Naruto felt a slight change in the movements and his eyes now noticed that Pein was gone. Knowing where the leader could have gone, he allowed a fleeting smirk to cross his face.

"Is this real enough?" Pein coldly whispered from behind. His right arm holding a weapon to Naruto's throat.

Naruto felt the cold tip of the kunai, his eyes confirming his suspicions. "But am I real enough?" The blond shinobi replied curtly.

Pein narrowed his eyes as his hands moved with a swift motion, slitting the throat. His expression didn't change when the Naruto he captured disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Are you done testing me?" Pein asked, his hands retreating back into his cloak.

Naruto slowly stepped away from the shadows of the cave. He glanced towards Pein, a stoic expression on his face. "I wanted to see your skills with my own eyes. I refuse to work for anyone who is weaker than I am. A weak leader can only command weak warriors."

"Then I hope my performance didn't disappoint you Uzumaki Naruto."

Itachi stood there, watching both men closely. It looks like he was momentarily forgotten but he didn't mind nor care. He did his job and that was all there is to it.

As the two men continued to glare at each other, Itachi could feel the killer intent rising. His body unconsciously started to twitch, a response to the amount of killing intent released. Never in his life had he felt this much. It was indescribable but, at the same time, excited him. He could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins. '_Uzumaki Naruto… You will be my stepping stone.'_ A small sadistic grin found its way up on Itachi's face, growing bigger with each passing moment.

Here stood two men, glaring each other down. Two men who were labeled as highly dangerous by the five great ninja villages. They are legends among legends. Their names strike fear into the hearts of many. Each with a power that would someday change the course of history.

"Come Uzumaki Naruto. We have some matters to discuss." Pein spoke up, ending their little staring contest. He turned around and disappeared, leaving Itachi and Naruto behind.

Naruto looked around, a disgruntled expression on his face. "Where's the freaking door?" He grumbled. Itachi merely responded by pointing the blonde in the right direction.

- - -

_Konoha - Yamanaka Flower Shop_

It was a cloudy day in Konoha but elsewhere, there was a person who was not affected by the weather. Not a single bit. Ino Yamanaka had a bright smile on her face as she waltzed around her flower shop. She picked up different type of flowers, breathing in their lovely aromas.

Ino never felt better in her life. As she continued to waltz around the flower shop, she could feel her troubles melting away. A smile tugged on her lips as she sprayed some water on the flowers, making them look fresh. She heard an elder speak something once about flowers, the raw beauty that they held.

'_Flowers were created to conceal the sins of the world by showing the beauty instead.'_

She didn't get what that old geezer meant back then but now, she has taken those words to heart. There was too much unnecessary bloodshed in this world. She smiled as she picked up several white lilies and brought them over to the counter.

As Ino worked, she hummed a melody that her father taught her when she was five. While her friends were out completing missions and moving on with their life; she was stuck in the past, cherishing the moments that she no longer had. It wasn't because she didn't want to move on. It was because there was nothing to move on to. She was content with just being here in the present, taking her sweet time.

A sudden chimed roused Ino from her thoughts, alerting her to someone's presence in her shop. When she looked up, she was surprised to see an all too familiar face. "Shikamaru!" Ino greeted her long time friend. She hasn't seen him since they got back from that mission. "What are you doing here?"

Shikamaru chuckled quietly. "No reason. I was just passing by."

Ino gave him a weird look before going back to her flowers. Shikamaru shrugged off the look and continued to just watch. He took a seat besides the counter and watched in silence. The way Ino's eyes seem to glow every time she picked up a flower. "You seem different…" The Nara whispered.

"People change Shika. Some for the better. Some for the worst." She replied without looking up. "All the things that happened to me recently were like a sign; telling me to be more observant and not take life for granted. It makes me sad on how kids these days don't realize what a dangerous job they're getting into."

"Wow Ino… that's pretty deep. So how are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Ino answered.

Before Ino could further expand on that, the chime on the door suddenly rang again, signaling that another customer has entered her shop.

"Excuse me." A loud voice shouted. "Is there anyone here?"

Ino stepped away from the counter and into plain sight to greet her customer. "Hello. What can I get for you today?" She didn't recognize this young man but she felt a strong sense of familiarity with him. The untamed brunette hair and his face has a striking resemblance to someone she knew very well.

The young boy turned his head, his eyes searching for something. "I'm looking for an Ino Yamanaka. She's about this tall and has blond hair." The boy made hand motions to give the lady a description.

"That's me. What can I do for you?"

The young man broke into a smile. "I heard you ran into my niisan."

Ino gave him a confused look. "Niisan? I'm afraid you got your facts messed up. I don't even know who your niisan is let alone who you are."

"Oh that's right. You only met me once when uncle Asuma introduced me to his team. My name is Sarutobi Konohamaru and I believe you ran into Naruto-niisan."

Ino dropped her jaw. She couldn't believe it. This brat was that young cocky boy that Asuma-sensei introduced to them all those years ago? She couldn't believe it. She quickly gave him a look over and found that he did remind her of her sensei.

"Wait a minute. Naruto is your niisan?" Ino almost shouted out. She couldn't believe it. This boy, the heir to the Sarutobi clan calls Naruto, the rank SS ninja, his niisan? "Are you shitting me?" She yelled out.

Konohamaru narrowed his eyes. "Naruto-niisan isn't a bad man. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"Not done anything wrong? He killed -" Ino raised her hand and started to count off, saying things as information came to her mind.

"Ino, drop it." Shikamaru spoke up, his tone changing from his normal lazy one to a more serious one. "Yo Konohamaru." The Nara waved.

"Yo. Didn't see you here Shikamaru." Konohamaru waved back. Before Ino could protest. Shikamaru spoke up. "Ino, have you ever known Naruto personally?"

Ino began to open her mouth but then closed it. She couldn't find anything to say. "No…" She replied, shaking her head.

Shikamaru continued, trying to get his point across. "Did you ever hanged out with Naruto?" Again, Ino shook her head.

"Then don't judge people based on who they are. Didn't Asuma-sensei teach us that? Even though he is the son of the third Hokage, he never rubbed it in our face. He taught us to learn both sides of the story before judging. We are ninjas. We must look underneath the underneath."

Ino stood there baffled. Never before has Shikamaru lectured her like this. She has been told she was troublesome and such by him but never lectured. He better have a good reason for embarrassing her like this.

"Naruto and Asuma-sensei are two completely different people." Ino growled. "Asuma-sensei would have never betrayed us. He would never think about killing people he cared about!"

"Ino. Have you ever known Naruto to the point where he was more than just a hyperactive brat?"

Ino gritted her teeth. Shikamaru knew what her answer was. He didn't need to continue with these damn questions. Damn Shikamaru and his intelligence. Why does he always use logic to point stuff out?

"Even though Naruto-niisan is a wanted man, he has my respect." Konohamaru answered forcefully. He considered Naruto his older brother, someone who acknowledged him for who he was inside, not by his name.

"Yeah okay brat. Just try saying that when he's holding a kunai to your throat." Ino retorted. Just as she started to walk away, Shikamaru stopped her.

"Sit down and get ready for a story."

Not left with any other choice, Ino reluctantly gave in. Half of her was still pissed at what Naruto did but another half was intrigued by him. This was a blessing in disguise and she knew it.

- - -

_Akatsuki Base_

"I have a job for you." Pein kept on his stoic face as he sat on a chair that vaguely resembled a throne. He had his hands folded on his lap, waiting for Naruto to enter the room.

"You're not one for subtleties are you Pein?"

"Neither are you." Pein replied.

"So what do you want of me?" Naruto bluntly asked.

Pein lowered his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "_Heart of the Waterfall_." He spoke up cryptically. There was no hint of teasing or anger in his voice. Just the voice of a dead man.

"A stone that is said to grant its user immeasurable power at a cost. The stone would ultimately merge itself with the user before taking their life. It was rumored to be a story, a myth that arose during the first civil war in Takigakure." Naruto tilted his head slightly. "What does the leader of Akatsuki, whose members are on par with a village kage, want with a useless stone?"

Pein didn't answer. His only physical response was closing his eyes for a moment. When they reopened, his Rinnegan fiercely glared at the jinchuuriki. "That is none of your concern Uzumaki. If you wish to join us. You will retrieve the stone within a week. Consider this a test. If you fail, do not bother to come back. I have no need for weaklings in my organization." Pein coldly answered.

Naruto released a small growl, letting Pein know his discontent. "You worry too much about the little things Pein. It is I who should be judging you. Remember that."

Naruto took one last look before disappearing out of the cave. Making his way towards Takigakure, his dull crystal blue eyes were now burning with a raging fire. "I'll show you Pein… I'll show everyone that Uzumaki Naruto is not someone who they should look down upon."

- - -

_Back in the cave_

"Pein-sama." Itachi entered the room and bowed. "Is it wise to send Uzumaki to complete this mission?"

"That is none of your concern Itachi. Follow him and make sure he doesn't do anything rash that would… upset… the mission."

"Hai Pein-sama." Itachi bowed once more and left the room.

A small smile formed on Pein's lips as he sense Itachi leaving the cave. "Soon… Salvation will be here and there will no longer be any bloodshed. We can finally accomplish what we started all those years ago…" A flash from within Pein's eyes flickered before dying out. "I understand." The infamous leader of Akatsuki stepped into the shadows and disappeared as well, leaving the cave uninhabited.

- - -

_Konoha - Yamanaka Flower Shop_

"So there he was, walking into our training ground just an hour later after completing his rank S mission. Anyone else would have shrugged us off to rest but Naruto-niisan didn't. He came in with his full ANBU gear and stuff and started his demonstration on how to use ninjutsu effectively. I can tell he was really into it because he wasn't so distant but after his demonstration, he had to leave quickly. Something about reporting back to the old hag." Konohamaru started to imitate his older brother from that day but failed horribly. He couldn't get the facial expression right but it brought a laugh out of Ino.

"Who would have thought that Naruto actually cares about anyone besides himself?" Ino muttered out loud.

"Well. There was this one time 2 months ago where we were coming back from a mission Ino…" Shikamaru rubbed his chin as he started to recall the events. "You were knocked out by a surprise attack from a group of missing-nins while me and Chouji were ambushed from behind. We thought it was over for you but then this ANBU appeared in front of your body, shielding you from harm. Before we could get over there, the missing-nins in his area were dead within a second. That guy must have been powerful because they were already dead before they took a step forward."

"I still don't know who that ANBU was. You guys never told me anything!" Ino glared at Shikamaru who chuckled nervously.

"Well, he carried you all the way back to Konoha. _All two hours _Ino." Shikamaru put some emphasis on the last part. "By the time we got to the hospital, the ANBU was already standing next to you with his mask removed. I got a quick look before he disappeared in a puff of smoke."

Ino leaned in, her eyes widening a little. She was anxious to know who her savior was. She felt her heart beating faster than usual. She remembered his strong arms and how safe she felt by just being held by him. The only thing she could remember about the ANBU was that his mask was that of a Kitsune.

"It was -"

"Naruto."

Shikamaru stared at her, surprised at her answer. "Why would you say that Ino?"

Ino only smiled. "There was no one in the history of ANBU to ever don a Kitsune mask. It just seemed right that Naruto would wear it as a representation of something else."

Shikamaru sighed. "If you figured this out sooner, why couldn't you have said so? It would have saved me a lot of effort. Jeez you're so troublesome."

Ino smiled sweetly at Shikamaru before slapping him on the back of his head. "Care to repeat that?" Shikamaru only muttered something under his breath as he got up. "What did you say?" Ino threatened.

"He said troublesome woman." Konohamaru spoke up. Shikamaru shot him a death glare but he felt Ino coming closer.

"I'll get you later Konohamaru." Shikamaru quickly disappeared, leaving Ino with no target.

"So Konohamaru…" Ino turned around, facing the boy. "What is it about Naruto that you consider him a brother?"

The young Sarutobi grinned at her. "We shared the same dream of becoming Hokage. Even though he no longer has that dream, I will become Hokage for him."

Ino sighed. "Maybe you should give up on Naruto Konohamaru. He's nothing but a cold blooded killer, associating yourself with him will get you nowhere."

The next words that came out of Konohamaru's mouth shocked her. The boy's mood instantly changed and she knew she hit a nerve. What she didn't know was that Konohamaru held Naruto in the highest regard. The outcome was a very enraged Sarutobi Konohamaru. It was frightening how his killing intent leaked out. For a minute there, she swore that she could see the Sandaime standing right behind the boy.

"Watch what you say you old hag. He might be a cold-blooded killer, but it was because of you and this village that turned him this way. Next time you disrespect him, I will not hesitate to crush you. Whether you are a student of my uncle or not."

Konohamaru's eyes flickered like a raging fire. The tone of his voice demanded authority. Ino wanted to shout something back but found that she suddenly lost her voice.

"If niisan wanted to kill you, he would have done so but since he spared your life, he must have seen something in you. Consider it his gift."

Without looking back, the angry Sarutobi heir left the flower shop. He could feel his blood boiling but deep inside, he wasn't angry at her. His anger was directed at the villagers for their ignorance and hatred.

"Naruto-niisan. Next time we meet, I'll prove to you that I have surpassed you." Konohamaru whispered as he exited the shop. "Only when I defeat you will it prove that I am finally worthy of becoming Hokage." He thrust his fist to the skies, as if he was making a statement. "Until then, don't die niisan."

- - -

_Inside the flower shop_

Ino watched as Konohamaru stormed out. She slowly dropped to the floor, her knees finally giving out on her. Finally getting over her initial shock, she managed to let out a small whisper. "Why would he defend Naruto like this?" She clutched her hands against her chest. "Maybe its time I start digging a little deeper."

- - -

_2 days later - Takigakure_

It was already nightfall when the blond jinchuuriki reached his destination. As he walked past the waterfall, he reminisced at a certain memory. It was about 8 years ago since he last stepped foot into this cave. It was back during his genin days when he was a carefree idiot. Back then, he was out to save this village, now he's back once more to steal something. Oh the irony. If he wasn't swimming underwater, he would be somewhat amused right now.

It took Naruto a good 3 minutes to swim to the end and when he finally surface, he was greeted with a familiar sight. The place hasn't really changed much. It was mostly still the same buildings, same bridge.

As he swam over to the edge of the village, he carefully listened for sounds of voices and footsteps. When he heard nothing, he quickly jumped out of the river and began his mission to find the stone.

- - -

_Elsewhere in Taikgakure_

"Shibuki-san. Is this really necessary to take a walk right now?" A rough but feminine voice spoke out. "We're here to guard you but you're not making this job any easier."

"Gomen Hana-san but there is a reason for my walk." Shibuki looked around, a small smile appeared on his lips as he touched a nearby building. "Ever since I became the village leader, it has been my job to ensure their safety. I watched this village with an unstable economy turn into what it is now; a functional village where we can finally be proud of it."

"Yosh! Shibuki-san has the flames of youth burning deeply within his soul!" Lee shouted.

"Lee-san. Please refrain from making so much noise. You're disturbing the villagers." Aburame Shibi spoke up in a monotone voice that was similar to his son. "Excuse us Shibuki-san but Hana-san has a point. It is best that we return to the mansion. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Shibuki nodded his head. "Thank you for your concern Shibi-san."

Just as Shibuki took a step forward, Hana immediately held her arm out, stopping the man from advancing. "Hold on." She quietly whispered. Her companion started to emit a small but fierce growl. "You hear that as well Mitsu?"

Lee slowly stepped in front of Hana, his head quickly searching the area. "I don't see anything Hana-san." Lee whispered.

"There's someone here. Do you doubt the noses of the Inuzuka clan?" Hana hastily answered.

Shibi made no effort to restraint the two as he also was searching. His bugs were going crazy from inside. He could feel their fear and that was the thing that scared him the most. "Be on full alert. We don't know who we're dealing here."

"L-Look…" Shibuki stuttered out, his fingers pointing straight ahead.

The Konoha team turned their heads and saw someone walking towards them. Each of them could feel the power just radiating off this person and by one look, he or she was truly someone to be feared.

Naruto walked forward towards the group. He heard a loud voice earlier and decided to check it out. As he slowly made his way over, he could feel their presence, feel their fear and he liked it. He kept his hands inside his brown cloak, waiting to see what these fools would do.

"What do we do Shibi-san?" Hana asked but before the Aburame could answer, Lee spoke up. "We will defeat this enemy with our flames of youth!"

"Lee! Do you not see how strong this person is?" Hana growled out.

"All the better to fight. We aren't jounins from Konoha from nothing." Lee replied.

The group stood their ground, decided to take Lee's advice. With the leader of the Aburame clan and the second best taijutsu specialist in Konoha here, there was no way they would lose.

When the hooded figure got into sight, the Konoha Ninjas had their guard up. "What are you doing out so late stranger?" Lee bluntly asked.

Naruto paid no attention to his question as he secretly found a smirk on his face. He pointed slowly to Rock Lee. "Rock Lee… age 21... jounin. Second best taijutsu specialist in Konoha. Past team members were Hyuuga Neji and Tenten under the guidance of Maito Gai, the leading taijutsu specialist in Konoha."

Next, Naruto pointed his finger towards Hana. "Inuzuka Hana… age 26... a low-level jounin rank from Konoha who works as a vet in her spare time. You and your companion, Mitsu were once known as the Shining Flower because of your combined techniques."

Finally, Naruto pointed his finger towards Shibi. "Aburame Shibi… age 45, also a jounin rank ninja. You are the leader of the Aburame clan who specializes in Kikai bugs. The bugs feed on the host's chakra system but in return, they do their bidding. Your son Shino will most likely succeed you within a few years, thereby taking over the clan."

As Naruto watched their shocked expression, he couldn't help but notice that the man in the middle was subconsciously holding his chest. "Shibuki-san, the leader of this village. Once drank from the famous Hero Water to defeat his old sensei Suien."

"Who are you?" Shibuki asked. "How do you know so much about us? Have we met before?"

Before Naruto could answer, Shibi closed his eyes. "So it is you. I never thought I would see you here tonight. You were once the plague of our village, scorned for being a demon and after many failed assassination attempts, you still continued to mock us for our sins by walking among the living. Number 327 of the Konoha Bingo Book. Ranked SS for your abilities and have been marked for death if encountered by hunter-nins." Shibi stopped for a second before opening his eyes. "Uzumaki Naruto, also known as the Silent Storm."

Naruto clapped his hands before slowly removing his hood, allowing everyone to see him.

He heard several gasps and stared at them with his cold blue eyes. "Aburame-san. I'm glad that you still remembered me."

Lee was the one that was shocked the most. "Nah-Naruto!" Just as he was about to step forward, Shibuki stopped him. "Naruto-san… What brings you here tonight?"

Naruto turned his eyes at the man, barely recognizing him. "You have something I want Shibuki-san and I want it now."

"I'm afraid that I can't let you do that. Shibuki-san is under our protection." Shibi replied.

Naruto chuckled a little, showing them his amusement. "I don't know what it is about Konoha fools making them all so chivalrous; but know this. I intend to get what I came here for… one way or another." The blond jinchuuriki's eyes flashed a hint of red before returning to cold blue. "And if I have to kill you three to get through Shibuki, then by all means, I will send the shinigami three new souls as payment!"

* * *

Author's Note: I decided that there was enough information to continue on with my plot and not cause it to clash with the canon. So how was this chapter guys? It has been a long 3 weeks and I thought I might have lost my touch. Anyway, reviews are always appreciated. 


	7. The Initiation

Hmm... Someone please call the cops because my beta disappeared on me. Meh it is the holidays so I hope everyone is having a great one. A late addition to Christmas is this chapter. Cheers.

On another note, I like to thank Epicweaver for pointing out to me about the Hiemaru Triplets. They are infact the three canine brothers that Hana uses. In my story though, Hana brings along one and the other two, will make a surprise appearance later on in the story. Thanks once again.

* * *

Naruto kept on his cold demeanor, his eyes carefully analyzing the three jounins from Konoha. "So who wants to visit the Shinigami first?" He looked towards Lee. "How about you Lee? You were close last time. Maybe I should start with you." 

"It seems like you're forgetting something Uzumaki Naruto. We outnumber you three to one. Even you, an ex-ANBU Captain, cannot possibly defend yourself against three seasoned jounins." Shibi reasoned. "Turn yourself in peacefully before we resort to violence."

Naruto chuckled slightly. "An ex-ANBU Captain? You're comparing me to that? My old position? That was ages ago. I'm way beyond that level now." To make his point clear, Naruto released some chakra, allowing the Konoha ninjas to see who they were dealing with.

A gust of wind discharged from Naruto, causing small dust particles to be blown away. Shibi held his hand slight above his face to shield himself from the dust. It would seem that they made an error. A grave error tonight.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Hana's left hand shaking. It was definitely not a good sign. If they were to walk away from this fight victoriously, he would need all the manpower and advantages he could produce. There was also something he clearly did not mention when he informally introduced Naruto. It was warning to all ninjas. A warning that was written in bold. '_If the target is seen, the first objective is to run away. Under no circumstances is any ninja allowed to approach the subject without necessary backup.'_

"Naruto-kun! Let us stop this nonsense fighting and turn yourself in. When we get back to Konoha, I, Rock Lee will speak on your behalf personally!" Lee flashed him a smile.

Hana snorted. "Lee. Did you not hear him correctly? I don't think he's here for a personal chat. Personally, I would rather kill him than drag his battered and bruised body back home. It would be a waste of time." Despite the age difference between Lee and herself, she had nothing but respect for the young jounin. He was a ninja with no chakra in his body but he overcame all odds, showing everybody that he was the best Taijutsu specialist in Konoha.

"Ignorant Konoha fools." Naruto sighed. "Don't you know when to shut up?"

The group felt a shift in the night breeze and Naruto disappeared in front of their eyes. "Where did he go?" Hana shouted. There was a slight panic tone in her voice. It wasn't the fact that they were facing a dangerous ninja that scared her. It was the fact that she couldn't track his scent with her nose. "Come out you coward! Face us like a man."

"Man? I thought I was a demon?" Naruto's voice echoed all around. "Why don't you make up your minds?"

Shibi made no comment as he held out his arms. A swarm of Kikai bugs came flying out and they immediately dispersed into the air. Shibi looked around, his eyes hidden behind his dark shades but his body was tensed, preparing himself for any sudden attack.

Lee continued to look around, searching for signs of Naruto. A sudden breeze blew through the area and the group stood there, embracing the warm wind but it was a mistake that would cost them dearly. As soon as the wind went through them, cuts appeared all over their body. Hana's eyes widened at the sudden cuts. "What the hell?" She muttered, placing her hand on her wounds.

"You bore me." The voice originated from above. Lee immediately went into action, leaping into the air.

When Lee's kick met Naruto in midair, he expected a solid body but to his surprise, his kick connected with nothing but air. "What?" His eyes widened. He quickly twisted in midair, his eyes searching for any other possible location.

He caught the faint movement of a brown cloak behind Hana. "HANA! BEHIND YOU!" Lee shouted.

Hana heard the warning from her teammate but found herself immobilized with fear. "Do you fear death?" Naruto's cold voice whispered from behind her. He had his hands near her throat, as if gripping something.

"Le-Lee…" She managed to stutter out. "Help me." Her voice was just barely above a whisper. She felt helpless in her position. She couldn't believe that she let herself be captured like this and knew this was a fatal mistake on her part. She could see Mitsu growling fiercely but keeping his ground.

"Where's your cocky attitude now? Where's that rambunctious girl from before?" Naruto continued to taunt her. Even though he had his hand near her throat, his eyes wasn't focused on her. They were focused on Lee.

"Naruto! Your battle with me is not over!" Lee shouted as he quickly unhooked his weights and threw them towards Naruto. Those weights were about 400 pounds each, making it at a total of 800 pounds and it would knock anyone unconscious. It was a win-lose situation here. If he dodges, he could either kill Hana and then move or release her and save himself. Either way, he hoped it would be the latter.

What Lee did not expect Naruto to do was to stand there and catch both of the weights with his left arm. He turned his head slightly and had a bored look on his face. "Is this all you wear?"

Lee quickly ran in, hoping to free Hana from Naruto's clutches but before he could reach her, Naruto plunged his hand through Hana's chest, a shocked expression written across her face. Lee didn't stop there and continued to race towards Naruto.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as the Hana that he just killed started to deform, revealing a mess of Kikai bugs. As the bugs started to crawl over Naruto, Lee crossed his arms slightly and whispered. "First gate: Kaimon. Aku." A silhouette of light covered Lee as his speed increased exponentially.

Naruto watched as the bugs crawled on his arms, making their way towards his body. He never really had the chance to spar with Shino so he never understood the mechanics behind these bugs. All he knew was that they were dangerous and consumed chakra. A very deadly combination for ninjas.

"I'm not the same Rock Lee that you once knew Naruto. Ever since you defeated me, I have been training nonstop to redeemed myself." Lee made his point by elbowing Naruto before throwing him up into the air towards a reformed Hana Inuzuka.

"Deception is a ninja's greatest tool. Did you forget that?" Hana jumped off Mitsu and the two began to rotate in midair. "Eat it! GATSUUGA!" Naruto only watched as the attack came closer. He couldn't help but smirk. He could tell that this attack was going to hurt. Judging by the cyclonic movements, there were no flaws in the execution.

The attack hit him directly on the chest, sending him straight into the ground that resulted in a large crater. Lee stood next to Hana who was kneeling down next to her dog, waiting for the smoke to clear. Shibi, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen but when the smoke clear, the bug user was standing just above Naruto, releasing more Kikai bugs.

Naruto got back up slowly, not even aware of the insects on his body. "I hope you got your attacks in…" His body taking two steps forward. "Because that's all you're going to get."

"Don't act so tough. The Kikai bugs are draining your chakra as we speak. Pretty soon, you'll be nothing more but a pile of bones." Hana boasted.

"Is that so?" Naruto inquired. He held out his arm and watched the endless Kikai bugs travel all over his body and soon, engulfing him. "Fushicho **Kaen - Sakuretsu**" The sudden outburst of chakra caught everyone's attention as a bright orange color flame erupted through the bugs, burning and disintegrating them all. Shibi sudden dropped to his knees, the loss of his entire colony of Kikai bugs taking a toll on his body. His chest was working overtime trying to sustain enough oxygen to keep the body moving.

Naruto stepped forward, admiring his handy work. "Wasn't that a bang?"

Shibi looked up and for the first time in his life, he feared for his own life. He should have known better than to take the missing-nin head on. What actually made him think that a team of three jounins could bring down a ranked SS missing-nin. The Aburame Clan head had nothing left. His entire colony of Kikai bugs was wiped out with one attack.

"Any last words Aburame-san?" Naruto coldly asked. His right hand gripping something tightly. Shibi sadly nodded his head. "Lee. Hana. I'm sorry that I failed you as team leader." He bowed his head in apologies but nevertheless, he kept his stoic face on.

"SHIBI-SAN!" Lee screamed out. "Second gate: Kyumon. Aku! Third Gate: Seimon. Aku!" With the newly opened gates, Lee exploded from his spot, creating a small explosion but Lee was already headed towards Naruto.

Naruto had a surprise looked when Lee appeared on his face and the two quickly exchanged blows. Lee quickly took the match away from Shibi and into the air. With a hard right fist coming from Naruto's blind side, it caught Naruto in the chin, sending him up in the air.

"Ura Renge!" Lee unwrapped his bandages and jumped behind Naruto, wrapping both his arms and bandages around Naruto. Lee accelerated into the air and when it reached maximum height, they began to pummel back to the earth, Lee holding tightly onto his enemy. The result caused another earth shattering crater as Lee struggled to get up, his body yearning for rest. Shibi caught the young ninja before he had the chance to take another step.

"Thank you Lee…" Shibi's words seem to have brought a small smile to Lee's face but it soon turned into shock as Shibi shoved him away. Lee stumbled backwards as blood squirted over his face.

Naruto stood behind Shibi, the invisible weapon that he once held was now covered in blood. The blood of an Aburame.

Hana dropped to her knees, her hands covering her mouth as tears were flowing down her cheeks.

"And then there were two." Naruto stated in a cold monotone. Unfazed that he just killed off one of the strongest ninjas currently there. His eyes darted towards his next victim, wondering what they were going to do.

"NARUTO!" Lee yelled out as he slammed his fist to the ground.

"Looks like you just won yourself a ticket to join your friend Lee." Naruto whispered from behind Lee.

Lee pushed himself off the ground with one arm and executed a quick round house kick but Naruto blocked it with ease with one arm. Lee didn't stop there. He twisted his body when Naruto blocked the kick and aimed a punch towards Naruto's stomach. The punch connected but there was no reaction. Lee watched with shocked eyes as the punch that he put most of his strength into made no impact at all.

"That's not a punch Lee. This is." As Lee was falling down, he saw Naruto pulling his arm back before throwing a feint that connected with Lee's face, sending him back straight into Hana.

The young taijutsu specialist groaned as he pulled himself up from his teammate. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Hana only nodded as she pulled herself together. Not only was there a ringing sound in her head, one of her teammates was now dead. If Aburame Shibi couldn't take down Naruto, what chance did the two of them have?

A blood chilling scream echoed through the village before it momentarily died out. Sounds of a faint whimpering soon followed. "Shibuki-san!" The both of them realized that they left the client unprotected.

They immediately rushed over to Shibuki but it was far too late. When they arrived, the sight before them was too gruesome as Shibuki laid there dead, his corpse mutilated beyond recognition. The head was detached from the neck as well as the legs. It would seem that Naruto did not want Shibuki to run away.

"MONSTER!" Hana cried out. "How could you?"

Naruto slowly turned around, his eyes no longer their cold cerulean blues. It was now a deep red color. "Monster?" Naruto asked as he dangled his prize in the air. "I'm a monster?"

A cold cynical laugh soon filled the air. "What makes you better than me Inuzuka Hana? Is it because you don't have the Kyuubi seal inside of you? Is it because you grew up like a normal child while I had nothing?"

"You're not even human. Humans would never commit acts like what you just done." Hana sneered.

"Am I not flesh and bone like you? Do I not have a heart like everyone else? You were part of the generation that knew something about me. I was just an innocent newborn that happened to have been selected to become the "Jailor" of the mighty Kyuubi by your late Yondaime. He wanted me to be raised as a hero but instead, I was raised as a scapegoat."

"We should have killed you the day you learned to walk demon." Hana spat out venomously. "It was because of you that we suffered like this, plaguing our memories and disgracing the dead by living. I thought demons had respect but just seeing you here makes me want to puke."

Naruto made no attempt to deny her claim but that didn't mean he had to stay here and listen to someone preach to him about his ways. Instead, Naruto glared at Hana, freezing her and Lee on the spot and made a dash towards them, the near invisible blade of wind now fully visible due to the blood of Shibuki and Shibi.

Naruto raised his right arm slightly, intent on slicing the Konoha Ninjas in half. As he prepared to lower his weapon, Mitsu, one of the Hiemaru brothers, leaped in front of his master and started to growl fiercely. Naruto scoffed at the attempt and didn't stop. His body leaped in front of the dog and twisted in mid-air, the sword now coming down with full power.

Hana watched helplessly as the sword came closer and closer. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain to come. "I'm sorry guys…" She mumbled under her breath as she waited. She felt a spray of warm liquid on her face and she slowly opened her eyes. Naruto stood there, his cruel red eyes was staring at the ground. Her eyes met his and they both stared at the ground.

"MITSU!" Hana screamed out. She broke free from Naruto's jutsu and was immediately down by her companion's side. Mitsu let out a small whimper as he struggled to get back on his feet. "Don't… It'll be okay…" She reassured the dog.

Naruto walked forward, making his presence known. Lee appeared in front of him with his arms out. "Don't you think you caused enough pain today Naruto-kun?"

"Naruto-kun? What is with you and Naruto-kun? That Naruto-kun died the day he was banished from Konoha. That Naruto-kun died the day when your Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi within him. There is no more Naruto-kun. Only Uzumaki Naruto."

Lee lowered his head, saddened by the news. "I see…then… I'm sorry my friend… I should have stayed by your side that day…"

"Enough." Naruto coldly replied. "I never had anyone supporting me when I was alone and I surely as hell do not need your pity now. Uzumaki Naruto never existed in your prideful eyes. Only the demon."

"You have to see it from our point of view…" Before Lee could finish his explanation, Naruto disappeared from his sight and appeared in front of Hana.

"Monster! Demon! I swear I'll kill you." Hana screamed out, upset over her partner's death.

Naruto stared at the girl before stabbing his sword down straight into her partner's heart, ending all hope of Mitsu's recovery.

"AGH!" Hana released a high pitch scream before leaping towards Naruto, her claws aimed for his face.

She lost not one but two of her friends tonight and that itself was unacceptable. She unconsciously flung her body forward towards Naruto, every intention of killing him.

Hana watched as a grin slowly appeared on Naruto's face, as if he was expecting this. She saw his hand move slowly in front of her eyes and then before she knew it, her body was screaming in pain as she fell towards the ground, a small tunnel of light appearing in her eyes.

"Hana!"

She heard her name being shouted frantically but she couldn't locate the source. She vaguely recognized the voice. "Lee…?" Her voice barely above a whisper. As she focused her eyes some more, she realized that Lee was standing in front of her but something was wrong with this picture.

Hana let out a small gasp as she saw that Lee's right arm was missing, blood dripping out from his missing limb. "Lee!" She asked again as she found some more energy to move her body.

"Why Naruto-kun… Why?"

Naruto dispelled his sword as he put his package inside of his cloak. "I made a promise… a long time ago…" His hands slowly retracted inside as well as his eyes met Lee's. "I swore that… If I ran into any Konoha ninjas… I would DESTROY THEM."

A sudden force exerted from Naruto, blowing small particles away from the area. Lee chuckled sadly. "Then it is my duty to stop you here tonight."

Naruto shook his head. "That was pretty foolish of you to jump in front of the girl. Now you're missing an arm. How are you going to defeat me now?"

"By opening all eight gates." Lee bluffed.

Hana widened her eyes. She could feel her life slowly draining away but she couldn't afford Lee to waste his right here. He had to go back and report. A gut feeling in her stomach told her that it wasn't his time to die here tonight.

"Lee…" Hana tried to talk but ended up coughing. "Run…"

Naruto tilted his head to the side, somewhat amazed to see Hana still alive. "You're still alive?"

"Run… Lee…" Hana desperately yelled again.

"Hana…" Lee turned his head back. "I will not leave you here."

"Don't be a hero!" She sharply yelled. "You must retreat and tell Hokage-sama about the events here tonight."

"Yes Lee. Tell your precious Hokage-sama… Let her know that I will be coming back to fulfill my second promise soon." Naruto ran forward and rammed his knee into Lee's stomach. As Lee staggered back, he saw a glimpse of Naruto's face. A sadistic look in his eyes. "Now run back like the dog you are." He grabbed Lee by the collar of his vest and threw him into the river.

"And then… there was one…"

Hana took what seemed to be her last few breaths as she laid on the ground staring at her adversary. "You may have won this small battle demon…" She grunted as the pain slowly spread around her body. "But you will never… crush the will of fire."

Naruto crouched down and held out his palm in front of her face. "Will of fire? You should know that you can't crush fire." He shook his head. "You have to smother the fire in order to keep it from growing." Blue chakra started to gather on the surface of his palm until it formed a perfect spherical ball.

"This is the Rasengan Hana-san. The technique left by your Yondaime."

Hana's eyes widened. It was truly a beautiful technique but she recognized the power behind it and the chakra control that it took to maintain it. She looked at Naruto and it was then that she understood the true meaning of fear.

"Say hello to Shibi-san for me."

Without any hesitation, Naruto plunged the Rasengan into Hana's chest, ending her life instantly. There were no more screams that night but later that morning, the village was in shock. Two ninjas were found dead and their leader, Shibuki was found mutilated with his fist tightly gripping the area of his chest. It was as if he was guarding something valuable. This caused a massive panic among the village, the villagers fearing for their own lives, stayed away protecting themselves now that there is a killer loose in their village.

- - -

_7PM Konoha - Front Gate_

Lee managed to walk through the gates before collapsing on the ground. The people who found him saw the fearful and frightening look on his face. They immediately brought him to the hospital and news spread like wild fire all across the city.

- - -

_10 AM Konoha - Hospital_

When Tsunade heard that Lee came back in critical condition, her sake saucer dropped on the table and shattered. She wasted no time making her way to the hospital, barking orders to Shizune to call everyone to Lee's room.

A long ten minutes later, almost everyone gathered inside Lee's room; each of them shocked at the condition that Lee was in. He had several broken ribs and his left arm fractured but that was soon forgotten when Tsunade revealed that his right arm was gone. It took the combined force of Asuma and Kakashi to restrained Gai as he made an attempt to get revenge on the person who did this.

Tsunade gritted her teeth in annoyance and soon slammed her fist against the wall, causing it to slightly cracked. "ENOUGH!" She shouted. Her voice laced with annoyance and authority.

"I know all of you have questions so let me tell you about his mission before you start asking me one by one." She saw them all nodding their head in agreement before she continued. "The team consisting of Rock Lee… Inuzuka Hana… and Aburame Shibi was on a mission to act as bodyguards for Shibuki as he prepared his trip to Konoha. What he was coming here for was because he saw a vision in his dreams that someone was going to steal the _heart of the waterfall_."

"Heart of the waterfall?" Shikamaru asked. His mind began to put together pieces of the information but there was a bigger puzzle that he couldn't solve. Who could have done this to Lee and his team.

Tsunade released a small growl from her throat, signaling Shikamaru to shut up. "The _heart of the waterfall_ is a unique item that has been passed down for centuries. The stone has the power grant the user the power of three Kages combined but at a high cost. When the user uses the stone, the stone will take the user's life as payment for its services."

Sasuke's eyes slightly widened at the story but something didn't seem right. "Why would Shibuki have it?"

"Because Shibuki was the one who inherited it from his father. It was his family that has been guarding the stone but now… the stone has fallen into wrong hands."

"What about my sister!" Kiba yelled out. He couldn't wait anymore. He had to know.

Before Tsunade could answer, a small moaning sound came from Lee as he was in some sort of nightmare. He began to twist and shake before kicking his legs. "HANA!" Lee shouted as he sat up, sweat falling down his face. He took deep breaths as his eyes looked around the room.

Kiba immediately pulled Lee by his collars. "Where the hell is my sister!" He demanded forcefully. Lee lowered his head and looked away. Kiba's eyes widened and shook even more. "WHO DID IT?" He shouted.

"KIBA!" Tsunade shouted and pulled the young Inuzuka away from Lee.

"Here Lee…" Tenten offered a cup of water and Lee sat there emotionless, his eyes somewhat hollow. "Lee?" She tried calling out his name once more.

Neji walked over from his corner and nudged Tenten to move. He lowered himself just to stare into Lee's eyes before punching him in the face. Lee instantly rebounded and jumped up, his eyes now glaring at Neji. "That was uncalled for my rival!" Lee rubbed his face.

"Er. Lee. If you're feeling better now. Maybe you could tell us what happened." Tenten spoke up as she tried to get Lee to sit down.

Lee sighed as he touched his right shoulder, the place where his right arm used to be. "He did this… He toyed with us…" Everyone waited as the boy continued his story. "He came into the village while we were with Shibuki-san. He knew about the stone and didn't care about what method he used to get it." Tears started to form in Lee's face. "He killed them all. He mocked each one of us, giving us the impression that we had the upper hand before showing us how weak we were compared to him."

"Shibi-san was the first one to go. His entire colony of Kikai bugs were no match for him. In the end… he just destroyed them all." Sounds of a fist connecting with the wall stopped Lee from his story. Shino slowly pulled it out and bowed. "Sorry." He couldn't believe it. His father was one of the strongest people in the village and it pained him to hear that he was taken down like this.

"Are you sure Lee?" Tsunade asked.

Lee nodded his head. "I saw it with my own eyes… Shibi-san had all his bugs surrounding him but it had no effect and that cost him his life."

He then looked at Kiba with apologetic eyes. "Hana-san and her companion, Mitsu-san were next to go. I tried to protect her but he was too strong. I'm sorry Kiba-san!" Lee bowed his head as tears continued to leaked out.

"I failed everyone. I failed you, I failed Shibi-san, Hana-san, Shibuki-san!"

"It's not your fault Lee… We'll get whoever did this." Tsunade tried to comfort the jounin. The anger in her voice gave her away. Everyone could tell that she was angry by the way she was gripping the edge of the bed.

"I know who did this." Lee's distant voice spoke up. "It's someone who we're very familiar with…"

"No…" Tsunade held her hand to her mouth. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Lee nodded his head. "It was Uzumaki Naruto…"

Everyone in the room was speechless. Kiba yelled out in a fit of anger and left the room. "I'll go after him Hokage-sama." Hinata bowed and ran out of the room.

"The way Naruto killed us off. It was like we were just pawns in his eyes." Lee shivered as he recounted the details of the battle. "The way he moved, the strength he demonstrated, the red eyes…"

"But that's not all… He purposely let me go with a message."

"Message? What else could that monster want?" Neji growled out. "He's caused enough pain towards this village."

"He said… He would be coming back… to fulfill his second promise…" Feeling the fatigue hit him at once, his body slowly dropped to the bed.

Lee's words hit everyone hard. The chilling message that was given. It left everyone feeling somewhat scared. There was something more there and what did that second promise mean?

Tsunade groaned as she massaged her temples. Instead of enjoying her afternoon drinking sake, she now had to deal with the rookie seven, one missing Ino Yamanaka and the council. Oh the joy of being Hokage. "Okay! Everyone scram and let Lee get his rest. The meeting will resume in 1 hour in my office. Dismiss." One by one, everyone left the room.

Tsunade stared out the window as a cloud covered the sun, creating a cloudy and depressing atmosphere. "You're leaving me with no other choice Naruto…"

- - -

_Near Suna_

Naruto dangled the necklace in front of his eyes, staring at it slightly. "All that for just this?" He held the necklace towards his eyes and twirled it around, wondering what was so special about it. "No matter. I accomplished my goals. The only thing left for me to do is to settle the debts that I have left under the name of Uzumaki Naruto."

In a fierce gust of wind, Naruto disappeared in a whirl of sand.

- - -

_Location: Nami no Kuni  
Date: 2 Days later_

Ino self-consciously looked over her outfit for the thousandth time as she took a step into this village. Wearing a matching black tank top with a skirt, her hitai-ate was firmly strapped to her arm, showing her allegiance to the village. She looked around her settings for a few minutes before her eyes rested themselves on a remarkable bridge. Over three miles long, it had a royal aura surrounding it.

She approached a sign that stood at the foot of the bridge. "We, the people of Nami no Kuni dedicate this bridge to Uzumaki Naruto for his duty and service to this country. It is in his honor that we…" Her eyes widened as she continued the rest of that sentence. "Name this bridge after our hero. It is with our greatest pleasure that from this day forward, this bridge will be called the Great Naruto Bridge."

"No freaking way…" She tried to hide her surprise but seriously, to have a bridge name after a person you know is shocking. "Well… I guess this is the place to start looking since he directed me here."

_Flashback_

_It was that same day that she had that talk with the young Sarutobi that she decided to do some digging on one Naruto Uzumaki. What was so special about this guy? Her curiosity wasn't going to let her rest until she found her answers. After sitting in the same stool for an hour, enough was enough. She let out a cry of frustration before throwing an order of flowers into the garbage can. The topic of Naruto was pestering in her mind and she couldn't get any work done._

_As Ino recalled, Naruto's old sensei was Kakashi so her target was currently the infamous copy ninja. On her journey over Konoha, her first stop was the bookstore. The pervert was probably there reading the latest Icha Icha Paradise series. _

_While walking over there, she past by the hot springs and noticed an elder man with white hair crouching down and peeping into a small hole. Her blood boiled as the word pervert rushed into her mind. She made a fist and stomp over there, intending to put an end to the pervert's life._

_As she went closer, she heard sounds of giggling and scribbling. She furiously shook her head, determined to cripple this man for life. As a fellow woman herself, she hated perverts with a passion._

"_Hey you!" Ino grabbed the man by his shoulders and spun him around, an angry glare in her eyes. "What do you think you're doing!"_

_The man gulped nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… I'm lost?"_

_Ino cracked her knuckles, letting the man take another attempt of his excuse before she beat him._

"_I am Jiraiya!" The man boasted. "The famous sannin of Konoha!"_

_Ino stopped her advances as she heard his introduction. She quickly sized up the man once more and scoffed at his pathetic attempt. "Really now? The Jiraiya of the sannin that I know isn't a pervert."_

_The man smirked. "Of course not. I am a SUPER PERVERT!" _

_Ino sighed. This man was either incredibly stupid or incredibly sure of his skills as a ninja. "I don't suppose you know where Hatake Kakashi is would you?"_

_If this man was a pervert, he would know others. She was sure perverts had their own networks and means of communication._

"_Sure do." Jiraiya answered. He pointed upwards towards a tree and continued his peeping adventure. _

_Ino followed the direction of the finger and looked closely at the tree. "Kakashi!" She yelled out._

"_Maa Ino-chan. You don't have to shout." Kakashi replied as he jumped off the tree._

"_Perverts. All guys are perverts." She muttered under her breath. She watched Kakashi walk up to her holding an orange book in his hands. She rolled her eyes as she noticed that he didn't even bother to hide the book. "I need some information."_

"_Don't we all." Jiraiya laughed. _

"_I want to know some information about your former student."_

"_I don't know where Sasuke is Ino-chan." Kakashi answered without looking up from the book. "He should be in Konoha somewhere."_

"_Not him. Your other former student."_

"_Sakura? She's working in the hospital."_

_Ino gritted her teeth, holding back from lashing out against this man. "I mean your last student. Uzumaki Naruto."_

"_Ah… Naruto…" Kakashi looked up with a sad look. "He's not here. Did you not remember what happened?"_

_Again, Ino fought back from assaulting the jounin. Was everyone idiots today? "I know that Kakashi." She said in a dangerous tone. "I recall that you took them on their first C rank mission outside Konoha. Where did you take them?"_

"_Nami no Kuni." Jiraiya spoke up. "If you hurry. You might still catch him there."_

_Ino and Kakashi looked at Jiraiya with surprised looks. Jiraiya dismissed the look and stood up. "Unlike some people, I actually liked my pupils. I keep in contact with my student on a regular basis." He disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the two ninjas shocked._

_Flashback End_

When Ino finished crossing the bridge, she looked around the town. It was nothing like Konoha. Business was blooming as people were busily making their way around, carrying bundles of goods. Children of all ages were out in the streets, enjoying their afternoon.

"Hm… If I were Naruto… Where would I go?" Ino asked herself as she looked around. "Maybe I should ask around…"

"Ah excuse me miss." Ino politely asked an elderly woman but the woman only smiled before moving on.

"Hey excuse me sir." Ino tried once more.

The man stopped and looked at Ino, a curious gaze on his face. "Yes?" He asked in a masculine tone.

"Ano…" Ino felt herself stutter at the sight before her. The man had untamed black hair with a chisel face. His striking brown eyes were as sharp as diamonds and it was like if he was staring straight into her soul. She quickly looked at the rest of him and could swear that this man was built like a god.

"Can I help you?" He asked once more.

"Ye-Yes…" Ino heard herself speak up. She quickly regained control before making a fool out of herself. "I'm looking for a certain person."

A smirk appeared on his face as he tilted his head slightly. "And why are you looking for this person?"

"My reasons are only my own." She answered more rudely than she intended to.

"It would be nice if you gave me a name. I can't help you if you don't supply me with any information." He answered, looking somewhat amused.

"Naruto."

"Naruto? You might want to check in with the mayor of this village. Tazuna and his family are probably the only ones who knew Uzumaki Naruto the best."

The man smiled one last time before disappearing among the sea of people, leaving Ino confused.

"I never told him Naruto's last name…"

- - -

_Deep within Konoha_

"Report." A loud voice boomed through the chamber.

"There is a council meeting later today to discuss the recent events Shinrei-sama."

"I expect you to follow the plans soon Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded his head. "What about Danzo?"

The figure shook his head. "His root is now under your control Sasuke. Use them wisely."

Sasuke only smiled. "I'll try not to kill them."

"I want Uzumaki Naruto dead. You do this mission Sasuke and I'll guarantee you limitless power. Power beyond your wildest dreams. Even a kage will fear your name." Shinrei answered darkly.

He could tell what Sasuke was thinking by looking into Sasuke's eyes. The boy was mad about power, doing anything to receive it. If that was the case, then so be it.

"Uzumaki Naruto is a wildcard that I will not afford to take any chances with. I want him and all witnesses dead. Do you understand me?"

Sasuke nodded his head. "Crystal."

"Then get out of my sight."

* * *

Author's note: One new technique for this chapter. 

Fushicho Kaen - Sakuretsu - Phoneix Flame - Explosion.

Well this is the area where I will choose a question that most people have on their mind so be at ease people. I know what you're thinking!

- When is Ino and Naruto going to get together?  
Ino and Naruto will meet when their paths will cross, when their interests are the same, where their goals are the same. If you are looking for a story where they instantly get together and do romance stuff. I'm sorry but this isn't the story for you. I will further develop their relationship when they finally meet which will happen soon.

- Why is Tsunade still Hokage? Why doesn't she just leave?  
Someone has to be Hokage here and the role of the Hokage is to serve and protect it's people. Her role will become more clear later on.

now that the Faq is out of the way, I would like to thank the time for people who actually liked this story and reviewed. there's nothing like the feeling of being appreicated for your work.


	8. The Past

Greetings all. A New Year has descended upon us and its time for new beginnings. Let's make this a great year.

On a side note, I seen a fantastic drawing by Mistix on what Naruto would look like when he joined Akatsuki in my story so if you would like a mental image while reading, please check out my profile. More pictures will be added once I find the right ones.

The previous chapter and this chapter have not been beta since mine unfortunately disappeared. If anyone would like to temporarily fill in as my beta, please drop me a line. I don't bite... much._

* * *

Nami no Kuni_

When Ino first arrived at her designation, she was expecting a hut, a small house at the very most but the building in front of her did not even come close. In front of her stood a medium size house that was almost two stories tall, built and finished completely in bricks. Shaking off her surprise, she adamantly walked up to the front steps before knocking on the sturdy door.

"I hope I didn't get the wrong house." She muttered. "Is anyone home?" She raised her voice.

"Keep yer shirt on. I'm coming." A grouchy voice yelled back. Behind the door, Ino could hear the sounds of heavy footsteps coming closer. As she held her breath, she imagined what this Tazuna would look like. Her imagination led her to believe he was some sort of elderly gentleman type. She let out a small giggle as she sighed. The world needs more of their type instead of the self-centered, egoistic man around.

The door swung open as an elderly man stood there in normal clothes, his expression somewhat angry. "What do you want? Speak up girly." The man rudely answered.

Ino's eyebrow twitched slightly. She looked him over and assumed he was someone's grandfather.

"I'm looking for the mayor of this village, Tazuna-san. I was told that he lived here." Ino politely asked.

The man released a belch before nodding his head. "You found him girly. What can I do for you?"

Ino stepped back, a disgusted look written across her face. "You're Tazuna?" Her voice slipped and it came out as a shock. Not that she minded. The man in front of her was dressed as a slob, destroying his public image!

"You got a problem with me?"

"No-No but you're dressed like a slob, a bum! For someone as important as you, how can you dress like this?"

"Aha. I told you otou-san. Even this young lady agrees with me."

Tazuna grumbled and folded his arms against his chest. "I'm the goddamn mayor of this village Tsunami. I will wear whatever I god damn want."

"Then you can cook for yourself tonight!" Tsunami threatened. She glared at the elder man. "I'm sure Inari would be glad to see some of those delicious dishes that his grandfather always bragged about."

'_You go girl.' _Ino silently rooted for this woman. She was using the man's own egoistic bragging to keep him in place. Score one for womankind!

Tazuna finally gave in and retreated upstairs. Tsunami had a victory smirk on her face as she turned her attention back to Ino. "I'm sorry that you had to see that miss…"

"Yamanaka. Ino Yamanaka."

"I think the position of mayor finally got to his head." Tsunami explained. "It's not all bad. He does a lot for this village and loves it like his own."

Ino laughed. "Sounds like a great Kage in the making."

The two women shared a laugh at the elder man's expense and they continued to laugh when they heard his string of curses from the second floor.

"Oh dear me. I seem to have forgotten my manners. Come in Ino-san."

Ino wanted to decline the woman's invitation, seeing as how she only needed to ask Tazuna some questions and be on her way but the older woman was rather stubborn when it came to inviting people inside.

"I'm sure whatever business you have with otou-san will be a long one. Most of his business meetings take a while."

Ino found herself now inside the house of the mayor. Compared to the outside, the inside was more luxurious. It had everything that a single person could have and more. Ino could tell that Tsunami was probably the type who ran a no nonsense home, keeping the people who live here in line as well as managing the household. She couldn't find a spec of dust or mothball anywhere. It somewhat reminded her of her mother.

"I'll be back with some tea and my father shortly Ino-san. Just make yourself comfortable."

And with that, the woman disappeared into the kitchen. Ino could hear the happy humming that Tsunami was singing and she had a small smile on his face. "Maybe I will stay for a bit…"

By the time Tsunami came back with tea, an unhappy Tazuna was also present and apparently, he was dragged downstairs by his shirt. Ino muffled a giggle as she saw Tsunami dragging the man into the den.

"Well I'm here. What do you want girly. Make it quick. Yer cutting into my sake time." Tazuna said as his eyes wandered to his sake bottles that stood behind Ino.

"I was told that you could help me find a certain person Tazuna-san." Ino bluntly said.

She was never the type of person who wishy-washy. Not by a long shot. She was the apprentice of Ibiki Morino, the "Sadist" of Konoha. He is well known because of his torture and interrogation skills. All his knowledge about torture and interrogation was passed down to Ino and because of her bloodline; it made her job even easier.

It was a mistake to say that she liked her job. Saying that she liked her job was like saying Kakashi only liked his books.

Ino loved her job. Her abilities to control a person's mental state gave her unbelievable control and she loved it. Throw in her mentor's skills; she was a deadly beauty both on and off the battlefield.

"Tell me who you seek already girly. You're wasting my time." Tazuna asked again. He haven't had his sake in over two hours and it killed him deeply. The fine alcohol from Iwa. It was a truly a gift from the gods. He picked up his cup of tea and took a small sip. He released a sigh as the liquid passed through his throat. Sake and tea, both so similar in liquid properties but very different in taste.

"I'm looking for Uzumaki Naruto."

- - -

Tsunade briskly walked into the council meeting room, the chattered momentarily stopped when her presence was felt as she entered. Tsunade smiled to herself, enjoying the effect that she had on these people. It wasn't everyday that a room full of council members would be silenced by the entrance of a Hokage.

She took her seat at the head of the table and cleared her throat, signaling the start of a meeting she predict would go on for hours. "Greetings. We only have one agenda here today so let's get to it."

The council members briefly nodded their head, indicating that they were ready to begin.

"It has come to my attention that Uzumaki Naruto can no longer be left alone. What are your thoughts on this issue?"

"Send our most elite team of ninjas and kill him!" A council member by the name of Takaomi Kenji voiced out. Several others nodded their head in agreement.

"It is foolish to diminish our forces like that. We have to think clearly. What do you suggest? Shikaku."

The Nara clan head sighed. "Bah, I'm getting too old for this…" He continued to ramble on but Tsunade silenced him with an angry glare. "I suggest going under a united front. If we can somehow lure Uzumaki near our boarders, we can set up some sort of trap that will render him helpless."

"Poposterious!" Nakatsu Kaien shouted out. "We must swiftly kill the demon. Who knows what happens if we take time to plan this out. The longer it takes, the stronger he gets! We can't risk having another demon run amok on us!"

"Kaien-san. Mind your mouth. You are within the presence of your Hokage." Tsunade threatened, her glare piercing through the man. "If you dare use that word again, I cannot guarantee your safety within this office."

Kaien wisely closed his mouth and nodded.

"Hokage-sama, I agree with Nara-san with creating a plan but Kaien-san is also correct about acting swiftly. Uzumkai is not growing weaker by each day. He's getting stronger and this recent event has shown us that he is indeed active and now plotting something big. We need to find out where he is and bait him before it is too late." Hiashi spoke up.

"Uzumaki was last seen in Taikgakure but before that incident, we have no other information. It is imperative that we know everything about him. His traits, his habits, his likes and dislikes. That way, we can think before he can and be there when he will."

"What can we do about this?" Tsunade asked. She had no information about Naruto and there was no way to get in contact with him. Not like he would seek out her help. He obviously made it clear when he killed two of her ninjas without a second thought.

"We find Jiraiya." Homura said, receiving a surprised look from Tsunade. "You know where he is. Make him tell us."

Tsunade laughed. "Even I can't make Jiraiya tell me where Naruto is. How do you think he'll react when we force him."

"Then we blackmail him. Plain and simple." An unexpected voice spoke up. All the members of the council turned their heads while Tsunade had a surprised look on her face as she stared at the person who made the comment.

"Uchiha… Sasuke."

- - -

_Akatsuki Base_

Itachi slowly walked into an all too familiar looking base. The same meeting room, the same statue… It was getting tacky. Even for him.

This was one of the many bases that Akatsuki holds under their control. Throughout the regions of the map, as far as man can see, the organization has at least two in each area. He lost count after the twenty-third base and gave up caring. There was one base that he was particularly fond off but they only had one meeting in it. Itachi was so into his thoughts that he mindlessly walked into the central room, not noticing that Pein stood there, his arms folded and was waiting for his report.

"What happened Itachi." His voice was filled with authority and demanded absolute attention. It immediately knocked Itachi back into reality and it was then he realized that he was standing in front of the leader.

Itachi quickly kneel in front of Pein. "The boy demonstrated well above jounin abilities. He has successfully retrieved the required item but he disappeared in Suna, even my eyes couldn't follow the boy."

Pein soaked in the information and nodded. "Did he…use it?"

"If you mean about the Kyuubi, then no. His chakra reserves seemed to have doubled from the last time we encountered him. If you also mean the stone, the answer is still no. It would seem that Uzumaki Naruto is a level… above the rest."

"What would you… evaluate him as?" Pein asked, curious to a certain extend. His eyes stared at the elder Uchiha, watching him for any sudden movements and hidden intentions.

Itachi looked up, his own eyes meeting the eyes of the leader. "If I was to compared him to Kisame…" Itachi thought for a minute. "I would say his skills are somewhat above his but his judgment is still lacking."

"I…see."

"Why did you ask me to follow him Pein-sama?" Itachi asked. At first, it seemed like a waste of time to tail someone of Naruto's caliber but Pein never did something unless he had a plan behind it. He noticed that lately, the leader, was acting slightly odd but he paid no attention.

"You wouldn't want anything to happen to your new partner would you?"

Itachi stuttered. "New- New partner?" He narrowed his eyes. "I don't need a partner. I'm capable of doing my missions alone."

Pein shifted his weight and then disappeared from view, leaving Itachi shocked. He held a kunai straight to Itachi's throat. "You dare question me Uchiha? Your eyes are inferior to mine. I can see… things that you keep hidden. I can see… your darkest fears."

Itachi did not expect the leader to take such a harsh course of action, thus leaving the elder Uchiha unprepared. He felt the cold tip against his own throat and he narrowed his eyes. He has been waiting for this chance to test his skills against the leader but decided against it. No,… it is not time yet. There was someone else he must beat before he faced the leader. It was only a matter of time.

"Do you understand Itachi-kun… You were born to follow orders. So follow them without question." Pein said, removing the kunai slowly.

"Hai…" Itachi slowly said.

"Where is Uzumkai now?"

Itachi froze, unsure if he should repeat it again or make up some lie. It was a disgrace to himself and his pride that his eyes couldn't track his movements. The mighty Sharingan, the famous copy doujutsu failed to track the chakra movements. It was just unheard of.

"He went missing in Suna."

The mention of Suna cause Pein to slightly chuckle. An eerie chuckle but it was a laughter that scared Itachi. "I see…"

"Your dismissed Itachi. We will now wait for Uzumaki to come back to us…"

- - -

When Ino said the name Uzumaki Naruto, the reaction she was expecting from Tazuna was suppose to be a joyful one, where his face would swell up with tears and talk about Naruto like a grandson. Instead of her fantasy, Tazuna went into shock and dropped his cup of tea, causing it to shatter and allowing the steaming liquid to scatter everywhere.

When the tea hit her skin, Ino let out a small yelp and jumped up, trying to wipe the hot liquid off her skin.

"Hey old man. What's your problem!" Ino glared.

Tazuna's arm couldn't stop shaking as he sat there, a fearful look written across his face. "Why are you searching for that man?"

Tsunami sported a sad expression as she cleaned up the mess. "Ino-san… You should turn back and go back home. Uzumaki Naruto isn't someone who you want to be involved with. It's just too dangerous for you."

Ino snorted. "I can't turn back now. I need to know something about Naruto. There's something about him that compels me to continue searching for him."

Tazuna finally stopped shaking and looked down. "While it is true that he was last seen in this village but it was only for a final goodbye."

"Final goodbye? What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid he's leaving behind his humanity."

Leaving behind his humanity? Ino slowly repeated the words in her head. How does one leave behind one's humanity? It was just impossible. One of the first things she learned under Ibiki was that humans are always with emotions, no matter how well they present themselves.

Anger, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise and disgust. There were more but the rest were derived from these six basic ones.

"Why does he need to… leave behind his humanity?" Ino slowly asked.

Tazuna shook his head. "He told us about what Konoha did to him and I shouldn't even be telling you this." He glared at Ino, now showing his true self. "But I see something in you girl. I don't know what it is but I think you'll be able to reach him before he swallows himself in darkness."

"Me?" She squeaked.

"No, the other pretty blond-hair girl over there in that corner." Tazuna sarcastically answered. "Of course you."

Ino leaned forward and growled. "Stop speaking in riddles old man. Tell me what you know and I'll decide for myself if I want to save him or not."

Tsunami stood there, watching the tension between her father and this girl grow. It was just unhealthy having anger control one's life. "Cut it out you two. I will not have any fighting in this household!" She sternly spoke up.

The two backed away slowly, leaning back into their respectful seats. "Where is Naruto now?"

Tazuna shrugged. "The boy's a hero in this town. Everyone recognizes him for what he's done for this village and how he defeated Gatou and his henchmen."

"Wait. He defeated them? Wasn't it Uchiha Sasuke?"

The mention of Sasuke's name caused Tazuna to laughed out loud. He clutched his stomach and banged the top of the table loudly. "That boy? Don't be joking girly. He was unconscious when he fought Haku. Naruto was the one who saved them."

Ino narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?"

"Do you take me for some kind of fool?"

That earned him glares from Ino and his own daughter. They both nodded and he sighed. "If Sasuke was the one who saved Naruto, why the hell did we not name the bridge after him? Use your common sense for once."

Ino scowled but it wasn't at Tazuna. It was at her former best friend Sakura. That forehead girl lied to her! After all these years, she kept the truth from ever reaching the surface. "Damn you Sakura." She cursed from under her breath.

_Flashback_

"_Hey Ino-pig! Guess what we came back from?" A young Sakura asked as she went up to Ino's face, a huge smile slapped across the girl's face._

"_Another boring mission?" A young Ino replied. "Anyway, where is my Sasuke-kun!" She asked._

"_MY Sasuke-kun and I came back from a RANK A MISSION." Sakura yelled out cheerfully. _

"_Get real forehead. There's no way you could handle a rank A mission."_

"_Not only did we handle it, Sasuke-kun unlocked his Sharingan and defeated a very tough hunter-nin!" Sakura bragged._

_Ino's eyes widened at the news. "Sakura! Tell me what happen!" She dragged Sakura into a nearby restaurant and the two continued to gossip until nightfall. _

_Flashback End_

"I'm such a fool." Ino belittled herself. She proceeded to bang her head against the table.

"Fool."

"No good fool."

Her actions somewhat alerted Tazuna, somewhat scared if this girl lost her mind. No normal person would do that deliberately to themselves. It was just… weird.

On the other hand, Tsunami perfectly understood what the girl went through and could share her pains. She put a hand on Ino's shoulder. "It's okay Ino-san. The deeds of the past stays in the past. It is the future that we should worry about."

Ino lifted her head up from the table and sighed. "I'm a fool."

"No doubt." Tazuna snorted.

- - -

"Care to repeat that Uchiha?" Tsunade retorted. "You're speaking about a fellow sannin here. Do you forget that I am a sannin as well? Such mockery will not be tolerated."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You're overlooking one of the basic rules of a ninja Hokage-sama. If we can't trust someone to be honest with us, how can we trust them at all?"

"I believe Sasuke-san is correct Tsunade." Koharu said. The elder looked around for support and smiled when the others agreed with her.

"Either way, I don't control Jiraiya. He, like myself, is a sannin. He differs from normal ninjas. He isn't bounded by our law. He follows his own code, coming and leaving as he pleases."

"That's where you're wrong Hokage-sama." Sasuke spoke up again. He folded his hands and brought them up to his face. "We're going to hit Jiraiya where it hurts."

"You're going to shut down the hot springs?"

"We're going to declare him a missing-nin."

"WHAT?" Tsunade yelled out. "You're talking treason. I should kill you for even thinking about that!" She slammed her hands on the table and glared at Sasuke. "That is an absurd idea. No way in hell am I allowing you to label Jiraiya as a missing-nin."

"Then maybe we're already in hell." Sasuke replied, a small smile hidden under his hands. "Maybe this is the hell that you're speaking about."

Mutters from the other council members started to arise, each one discussing among themselves.

"If we label Jiraiya as a missing-nin. He's bound to meet up with Naruto. We will then place the both of them under heavy surveillance and then strike." Sasuke explained. "We all know how Jiraiya favors Naruto. We will send ninjas after the Toad Sannin and when Naruto hears that his teacher is in danger, he will miraculously show up to save the day."

"We will have Shino place a small bug on Naruto and from there, we will plan carefully and wipe them both out."

"Watch what you say Uchiha. That's my teammate you're talking about."

Sasuke shook his head. "A ninja that isn't loyal to us is just as good as an enemy ninja. We don't need Jiraiya on our side. We don't even know where his loyalties lie."

Tsunade gripped her knuckles. Her anger was just about to reach maximum boiling point and if she snapped, god helped her because she was going to knock that arrogant smirk off the Uchiha's face. "I will not allow it Uchiha. Not as long as I'm Hokage."

Sasuke shrugged. "Fine. Why don't we settle this with a vote then? All or nothing Hokage-sama. If I win, we do it my way and you will not interfere. If I lose, I will resign from my spot on the council and spend the rest of my days in jail for speaking treasonous terms."

"You got yourself a bet Uchiha." Tsunade snorted. "All in favor stand now!"

The council, divided by it already is slowly stood. There were 36 people that served on the council, not including the Hokage herself. She was above the power but it seems that her power was slowly slipping away.

One by one, they slowly stood, next to Sasuke.

Two…

Ten…

Fifteen…

Seventeen people stood up with a somber look on their face. The other half remained in their seats, looking confidently at their Hokage.

"Looks like a tie brat." Tsunade confidently said.

Sasuke shook his head. "That's where you're mistaken Hokage-sama. The head of the Yamanaka Clan, Ino Yamanaka isn't present for this meeting so there is a total of 35 people here. The last one to vote is the head of the Inuzuka clan herself. Tsume-san."

To say Tsunade was shock was the understatement of the year. She was swindled and conned. That's the only possible explanation for this. She was cheated and she paid the price for her brashness. Everything went down to Inuzuka Tsume, the mother of the daughter Inuzuka Hana, the one that Naruto killed.

Tsume closed her eyes and slowly stood up. "I want revenge on him. He will pay for killing my daughter."

Sasuke looked at a defeated Tsunade with a huge smile on his face. "This is my win Hokage-sama and starting today, we will begin the operation to eliminate Uzumaki Naruto once and for all!"

Cheers erupted from the members on the council as they celebrated. They were finally getting rid of their problems once and for all.

"Good day _Hokage-sama._" Sasuke sneered as he walked out of the room.

Tsunade growled and slammed her fist into the wall, causing it to crack and split apart. She turned around and glared at the remaining members. "Get the hell out of my sight."

The room quickly vacated and she was left alone, her head dropping to the table.

"Bloody hell…" She whispered as she closed her eyes to ponder her next move.

- - -

_Nami no Kuni_

In this slowly prospering town, the times are surely changing. It seemed like it was just yesterday that he step foot into this poor village but in reality, it was almost eight long years ago. The town has surely changed since then.

The lone figure slowly entered the lively bar, filled with chatter and the smell of liquor lingered in the air. Men drinking the night away, without a single care in the world.

"A bottle of your finest sake." His voice came out like a whisper, as if he wasn't really there.

"Coming right up sir." The barmaid said. She looked over his features, hidden inside a brown cloak but still, the man's distinct features could not be masked away. She saw his golden blond locks and his handsome face, blushing as she stared into his cerulean orbs.

The man leaned against the bar, his eyes lingering among the people in the bar. He noticed a man in the front, loud voice and horsing around with this buddies. That red-hair barmaid timidly walked up to the man and his response was swatting away her tray.

"You dare ask me to pay for your lousy food and drink? Do you know who I am?" The man yelled out.

His gang followed their leader's example, causing a ruckus in the bar. They laughed and dragged the barmaid into their table against her own will.

"Here's your bottle sir." The barmaid returned holding a bottle of Iwa Sake. This was the best bottle in the house and he didn't care for the price.

"What did you say woman?" The leader yelled out, enraged by her comment. "You don't know who I am? I'll tell you who I am." He grabbed her wrist forcefully. "I am Uzumaki Naruto, the only ninja to be ranked SS in this entire world!" He bragged.

Upon hearing the man declare his name, the bar fell into silence, the patrons staring at the loud man.

"That's right! You all better shut up when you hear my name."

The man who ordered the bottle of Iwa's finest sake snickered. A small smile graced his handsome face as his eyes fell on at the so call ninja.

The leader turned his head at the laughter. "Do you want to die you punk?"

The barmaid that was standing behind the counter urgently tugged on the man's cloak. "Please sir. Just apologize and he'll leave you alone."

The man shrugged off her touch and stood up. "Is he a regular here?"

The woman only nodded, a fearful look written in her eyes.

"I see."

The man that only had a cloak wrapped around him pushed himself away from the counter and walked forward into their little circle. The leader smirked. "Even if you beg for forgiveness, I won't go easy on ya." His boys joined in the laughter and gathered around, showing everyone what happens when a person messes with them.

"So you're Uzumaki Naruto huh?"

"That's right punk. Maybe if you kneel and licked my shoes, I might consider forgiving you." He flashed a cocky smile, his yellow teeth showing and the smell of liquor lingering in his breath.

"You can't be Uzumaki Naruto."

The leader was taken by surprise and took one-step back, not use to anyone talking back to him. "Do you not see my blond hair and piercing blue eyes? Does my muscles and strength not prove it?" When he did not receive any sort of verbal response from the man, it irritated. "I'll show you why I am ranked SS!" He moved without warning, pretty quick for a big man and struck hard.

His gang watched on, amazement written across their face. "That's his famous Rock Punch! He demolished three Konoha hunter-nins with it!"

The quiet man only held his palm out and smiled when the punch connected. The leader had a surprise look on his face when he saw that his attack had no effect on the mysterious man. "What… the hell…" He pulled his fist back and stared in awe.

"I already said that you can't be Uzumaki Naruto because…" The man slowly retracted his hand and removed his hood, allowing the audience to see his features. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

The big man, the leader of the gang, was known as Takamura Ichiro. A man who resorted to small time burglaries and murdering. "Don't be cocky just because you stopped my punch. I'll kill you!" Ichiro sneered. He waved his hand, telling his boys to jump in.

"Watch carefully Takamura Ichiro and learn why they fear me!" Naruto said as he disappeared from the spot.

In the second that Ichiro blinked his eyes, the man disappeared in front of him. His movements invisible to the naked eye.

His eyes soon heard the flapping of a cloak standing behind him. He quickly turned around and pulled out a hidden Kodachi. "You're just fast punk but you have no power what so ever!"

Naruto shook his head. "Insolent insects. You don't even deserve to speak my name." He snapped his fingers and the wind blew into tavern, causing the men and everyone else in it to shiver.

In a move that surpassed everyone's expectations, the men of Takamura Ichiro's gang fell one by one, their heads rolling off their bodies. Ichiro himself watched in horror as he too fell dead on the floor. The gang of six people, were dead in less than a second.

Naruto walked over and picked up his sake bottle but not before dropping 300 ryo on the counter top. He walked out silently and disappeared into the wind, eluding the onlookers who ran out to search for their hero.

"Was that really him Yumi?" The red-hair girl asked.

The other girl, the one who served Naruto only stood there nodding. "We are forever in his debt."

- - -

_On an isolated hill_

The entrance of a mysterious figure, his brown cloak quietly flapping with the wind instead of against it. He held a bottle tightly against his hand as he walked slowly towards the top of the hill.

From far, there wasn't really anything besides two tombstones. These weren't your average tombstones. No, it wasn't made out of stones. Instead, it was marked by several wooden crosses; the only dictation that there were bodies buried here in the first place. There was also a sword stuck deep into the Earth, a rusty metallic blade but nevertheless, it was a weapon of a famous demon.

Yes. To outsiders, this place is nothing more but an eerie place but to the people who know what that blade symbolize, this was the final resting ground of Haku and Momochi Zabuza.

Naruto slowly walked to the top, his sake bottle swaying back and forth.

"How you guys feeling? Dead?" He chuckled. "It's been a long time guys…"

He sat down on the floor, and smiled. "Zabuza-san. Haku-san. Cheers." Naruto poured himself a drink, feeling the bitter taste as it went down his throat. He licked his lips after he finished and closed his eyes.

"The times are changing. One can no longer live in this world without having a reason. It is that reason that defines who we are and if we no longer have that reason, we cease to exist. The government is as corrupt as the people who run it. Power is defined by what a person is capable off. With each passing day, more and more suffer. The way people live their lives, shrouded in half-truths and lies."

Naruto poured himself another drink. "The times that you once remember is no more Zabuza-san. The Kages themselves are becoming corrupt and the people once again suffer because of it."

He stood up and stood in front of the wooden crosses. "No one should past into the afterlife without first tasting sake. This is my tribute to you guys." Naruto then tilted the bottle sideways, allowing the sake to be poured all over the wooden crosses.

He bowed his head once in respect before disappearing again.

- - -

Ino rolled her eyes for the very last time. She couldn't take much more of this nonsense. She felt her teeth grinding on each other, indicating her annoyance.

Slurp.

There was that sound again.

Slurp.

The old man was doing it on purpose to spite her. Just because she disagreed with his view on Naruto. He retaliated by slowly sipping his sake.

"ARGG." Ino yelled. She pushed her seat away and stood up, fire gleaming in her eyes. "You win old man! I'll reserve my judgment for Naruto until I know him better."

Slurp.

"That's all I ask Ino-san."

Ino's eyebrow twitched at the noise. "I will take my leave now."

Slurp.

Ino screamed as she ran out of the house, releasing her fury on the suburbs surrounding the house. It would be a cold day in hell before she heard that sound again.

- - -

"Did you think it was wise to tell that girl about Naruto?" Tsunami asked.

Tazuna shrugged as he poured himself another drink. "Even though he requested that we no longer keep in contact with him, I never agreed to it. That boy needs know that not everyone is against him."

Tsunami sighed. "It's a shame that he was treated like that."

"The world can be cruel sometimes. If the times were different, that boy could have been a fantastic leader. It's a real shame though…"

"But otou-san, did we really have to lie about Naruto-kun not being in this village?"

"That girl is different Tsunami. I believe she will be the one." Tazuna laughed as he poured himself another cup. '_If anyone can change him. It'll be you.'_ He would drink to that. It wasn't everyday that he had lively visitors. He only hoped that he lived long enough to see them again.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to leave me a review. 


	9. The Operation

Sorry guys but I been meaning to get this chapter out a lot sooner but unexpected things have popped up. I'm somewhat neck high in work and deadlines. There's an author note with a FaQ section on the bottom to answer some questions that I've been receiving. Anyway without further ado, the next chapter.

* * *

Naruto sighed as he walked through the thick jungles once more. Not only did he have no clue where the base was, he wasn't even sure where he was himself. Ever since he left Nami no Kuni, he was sure he was heading in the western direction, back to his original location but unfortunately, he didn't recognize the surroundings.

"Damn it. Did I go in the wrong direction again?" Naruto said, gritting his teeth in annoyance. He had a deadline to meet and the clock was ticking. "Where the hell is Itachi when you need him."

"If you only paid attention when I told you before, you wouldn't be in this mess. Look at you; you look like a fresh genin who stepped out for the first time Naruto-kun."

Naruto's eyes widened. Just now, he could have sworn he heard Itachi's voice in the middle of nowhere. Maybe his ears were playing tricks on him. "Are you a mirage?" Naruto asked without turning around.

"If you want to know where the entrance of the base is, you better follow me. I won't tell you for a third time."

Without another word, Itachi sprinted away, leaping from tree to tree. Naruto turned around quickly and chased after the Uchiha, quickly catching up to him.

"So where is the base?"

Itachi didn't answer his blond hair companion. He continued leaping and pointed straight ahead. "The temporarily base is located in Kawa no Kuni. Just off the boarders of Konoha."

"Are you guys stupid? Having a base that close to the enemy is just asking them to storm it."

Itachi stopped and landed on a sturdy tree. "That's where you're wrong. It is because of that reason that Pein-sama purposely chose it. What better way to elude your enemies than having a base right under their nose. It would be one of the last places they would expect to look."

"I never thought Pein was the gambling type."

"Pein-sama doesn't leave things up to fate. When a person has the power to change the world, fate is in your hands. He doesn't work against fate either. He works with it."

With all the chitchat going on, Naruto did not lose focus for a bit. He subconsciously minded his surroundings, keeping an exact lookout for any sudden attacks. He might be working temporarily under Akatsuki but it doesn't mean that he was safe yet. In the inner pocket of his cloak, he held an item that was considered to be sent from the gods themselves.

The _heart of the waterfall_, a necklace that could easily rival the one Tsunade had in value. While they alone are worth enough cash to buy three Hokage Mountains, each one of them containing great power.

The necklace that Tsunade currently holds in her procession contains the power from the Shodaime, her grandfather. It has the ability to suppress and control a bijuu's power. It was also the rumor necklace to cause death for its wearer. Naruto scoffed at that rumor. When he still had it, there was no bad luck and misery in this lifetime that could rival the one that he had been experiencing his entire life. He would even dare fate to try and bring her worse.

On the other hand, the _Heart of the Waterfall_, contained enough power to grant a single individual the strength of several Kage in return for the user's life. It was a double edge weapon that was fatal for its user. There was something more to this necklace than the power. Naruto knew that for a fact. Pein wasn't exactly the type to go looking for power. He had enough power himself. Him and those eyes of his, the rin'negan. There was something probably another use for this necklace, one that could give Pein the edge to succeed in his plan. Whatever that was.

"What does Pein intend to do with this necklace?" Naruto asked.

"He will tell you when he is ready."

"Tch. In other words, you don't know either." Naruto commented. He suspected that only a selective few from Pein's inner circle would know. The rest of his members were probably pawns in his little game.

Naruto smirked under his cloak. He would play this little game of his. Just to see how far it goes.

- - -

Just as Naruto walked into the base, he saw Pein sitting on top of his throne, a passive expression written across his face. "I take it that you had a pleasant journey?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter. I completed your mission." He reached into his pocket and produced a familiar necklace. He let it dangle in the air for a bit, proof that he had completed his mission successfully.

Pein nodded his head slightly, acknowledging that Naruto completed the given task.

"Hand it over."

Before Naruto could give Pein the necklace, he sensed an incoming projectile and leaped away. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a brownish bird flying after him. Knowing what this was, he quickly ran up the wall and kicked off. The bird couldn't follow Naruto's movements and collided with the wall, resulting in a small explosion.

"Art is a bang ya?"

"Deidara…" Naruto growled out. He glared at the Akatsuki member, his eyes slowly turning red. He started to leak out some killing intent, which alerted Pein to turn his attention to the duel.

Deidara laughed. "Is that how you greet a fellow Akatsuki member."

"Are you still sore about losing your arm?" Naruto whispered from behind Deidara. He unleashed a fury of quick and hard punches towards Deidara's midriff.

Deidara quickly turned, using his body's already moving momentum to dodge the Jinchuuriki's blow. In his mind, he could see the blows clearly and responded accordingly. Dodging them from left to right, a smirk slowly formed on his face. "Is that all you have?"

"Nope. I just didn't want your blood on my cloak."

Diedara released a small angry cry as he spun around and connected his knee to Naruto's gut, causing Naruto to disappear into smoke. "Damn you Jinchuuriki. Where the hell are you?" He yelled.

From the corner of the room, Naruto crouched against the ground, blending with the shadows. The information from that clone told him all that he needed to know. Ever since his last encounter with the Akatsuki member back during his previous ANBU days, things have changed significantly.

Deidara was no longer just a long-range fighter. He somehow improved and adapted his body to become a more rounded fighter as a whole. The man's fighting style reminded him of a dancer. A very ugly one but judging by the way he moves, it was as if he was anticipating and reacting just before his blows connected.

Deciding that enough was enough, Naruto held up a single hand seal and concentrated. Several Kage Bushins appeared and with a single plan in their mind, they knew what to do.

Deidara growled as he looked around. "Where are you hiding you filthy rat?"

"Here."

It was the same procedure. Attacking using the shadows. Deidara already foresaw his opponents attack pattern. Studying and committing it to memory. He knew what Naruto liked, what he hated, how he attacked and what jutsus he preferred to use. This was how far along he came just to get his revenge. Deidara ducked under a blow and went for an uppercut but before he could land it, the Naruto he was fighting disappeared in a puff of smoke. Caught off guard, Deidara quickly jumped up, narrowly avoiding an attack from below.

"Where are you looking?" Naruto whispered from above.

Deidara quickly looked up and saw Naruto with his trademark Rasengan aimed for him. He intuitively reached into his back pocket and his hand went straight to work. In a mere matter of seconds, his own trademark jutsu was complete.

"**Kibaku Nendo - C4 Karura**"

"**Rasengan**"

Before these two attacks connected, Pein appeared in midair, stopping them before they could connect their attacks. With a simple twist, he caught both of them on their wrist and threw them to the ground with ease. Deidara landed face first into the floor while Naruto landed on his feet, the Rasengan slowly disappearing.

"I will kill the both of you myself if this happens again. Do I make myself clear?" Pein's voice rang out through the room. Even though it was stoic, the man's intentions were clear.

Deidara grunted a response as he pulled himself up, dusting his cloak. "Crystal leader-sama."

"Crystal." Naruto muttered. He was impressed with the way Pein handled the situation. It was no easy feat to interrupt their duel, even if they weren't going all out. They were still going beyond normal expectations. To stop them just before their attacks connected said something about the man's skill.

"Pein-sama. I have gathered them as you requested." A hollow like voice spoke up, interrupting Naruto from his thoughts. "Everyone's accounted for."

He turned to the source of the voice, dark figure slowly appearing from the wall. Naruto had to narrow his eyes to recognize the shadowy figure. "Zetsu." He muttered under his breath.

From behind him, he could see the infamous Akatsuki members slowly walking in one by one. "Let's get this over with. We have a bounty to catch." A deep voice said.

"Maybe we can sacrifice the victim to Lord Jashin this time!" An overly cheerful voice replied.

"Where did Deidara-sempai run off to guys?" A voice whined.

"Maybe he finally decided to become a holy sacrifice to Lord Jashin!"

"NOOO!" The voice whined.

The three members walked through the door whom Naruto recognized as Kakuzu and Hiden but that last member, he didn't recognize. He looked weird compared to the others and frankly, kind of weak.

"Deidara-sempai!" The member with the orange mask on shouted. "You're alive!" He eagerly ran up to Deidara and attempted to hug him but failed. He was greeted with a foot in his face.

"Never hug me stupid idiot!" Deidara shouted as he stomped on his apprentice. "I told you a million times. I don't like hugs!"

Naruto watched the pair closely and shook his head in disgust. "Pathetic." He whispered to himself.

"It's time to begin phase two." Pein coolly stated. Every Akatsuki member turned their attention towards their leader and nodded their head. Silence reigned throughout the chamber as all eyes were focused on him.

"Let the games begin."

- - -

_Konoha - Hokage Chambers_

"I hope you realized what your actions caused me Ino Yamanaka." Tsunade sternly stated.

Ino deeply bowed her head, already having apologized for her actions. She just recently returned from her trip in Nani no Kumi and despite all the annoying old men she met along the way, the country was actually a great vacation spot. The weather was just lovely, at a constant temperature where it wasn't too hot or too moist. Seeing all the different variety of flowers there was also a plus as well.

"Again, I am deeply sorry for my actions Tsunade-sama but it would help if you explained to me what I actually did wrong."

Shizune sighed. "Tsunade-sama. Did you not tell her the events when she walked in?"

"I was getting to that before you interrupted!" Tsunade growled. "Like I was saying before. Due to your absence on the council meeting a couple of days ago, I have to now mark Jiraiya as a missing-nin for the sole purpose of finding Naruto. The council, from my opinion, greatly fears Naruto."

"Is it because of the Kyuubi?"

Tsunade snorted. "If it was only that simple. They think Naruto is the second coming of the Kyuubi. I bet somewhere in their tiny minds they think Naruto absorbed the Kyuubi, all the knowledge and power that the beast contains. Since none of those people knew Naruto's location, I'm forced to consider Jiraiya a traitor and thanks to your old teammate Sasuke, the sunshine in Sakura's life, the ray of blossom, the love of her life...- "

Ino's eyes twitched as she listened to her Hokage ramble on and on with Sasuke. What the hell did the Uchiha have to do with this anyway. "I get the point Hokage-sama. What did he do this time?"

"That little bloody bastard came up with the most ridiculous idea of using Jiraiya as bait while they lure Naruto into their trap."

"Trap? Do they expect to kill Naruto? I mean no offense to our ninjas but I seen him single handedly stopping Sasuke's Raikiri and Sakura's insane chakra induced punch. If he can do that, what are their chances of succeeding?"

Tsunade sighed and shook her head. "It's not that I care if that little bastard dies or not but its what Naruto does afterwards that worries me."

"You don't think…"

"Yes. I think he will. He's not the type of person to let someone walk over him. He'll retaliate and he'll strike where it hurts the most."

Tsunade nodded her head and Shizune got up, shutting the door before quickly performing a jutsu. Ino narrowed her eyes and looked around. "What's going on Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade smirked. "We're going to get to Naruto first."

"Are you… joking?" Ino saw the devious smirk on her Hokage's face and insane was just a polite word that she used. There were other words like stupid, ridiculous, and insane that came to her mind when she saw the look on Tsunade's face.

"Listen Ino. I believe there's a reason why Naruto spared you that day. I think he saw a little bit of himself in you. You were in the same position as he was before, the act of betrayal by your friends. He saw that you were going to die at Sasuke's hand and he unintentionally saved you. He might not know it but I believe that you might be able to awaken the true Naruto that lies dormant in that dark shell of his."

"Jeez, you are the second person this week who told me this. What is going on with everyone connecting me to Naruto? We're nothing alike!"

Tsunade, at the point, had to let out a small chuckle. "Listen to me Ino. As a fellow woman and Shizune can agree with me on this. If Naruto really wanted to kill you. He would have done so without a second thought. There is a reason and even though we don't know what it is, I'm going to gamble everything I have on my first theory."

Ino nervously laughed. She heard about Tsunade's gambling days and the nickname that she earned. The people that she gambled with gave her the title of 'The legendary Sucker'. It made her wonder how badly a person's luck must be if they received a title like that. No matter how she looked at it, betting with Tsunade usually ended in something bad.

She glanced at Shizune who was sadly shaking her head. Tsunade, on the other hand was grinning like a fool.

"Well Ino? What do you think? Think you'll be able to help me out with my plan?"

Ino gulped as she looked into Tsunade's eyes. If she said no, Tsunade would probably kill her with one punch and if she didn't die from that, she would never hear the end of it.

"Uh… I guess so."

"Great! Now here's the plan." Tsunade said as she flung one arm around Ino and pulled her closer. "This is what you're going to do…"

- - -

_Akatsuki Base_

"Phase one has been completed thanks to Uzumaki Naruto, our newest member. The _Heart of the Waterfall_ is now in our procession. Some of you might remember him from our past encounters but regardless of what happened, he is one of us now. Do I make myself clear?"

Pein looked around, receiving several nods from around the room. "For phase two, we will be splitting into teams. Our objectives are the _original_ secret scrolls from each village. Which means I need teams to go to Suna, Iwa, Konaha, Kiri and Kumo? You are to go in and retrieve it. I don't care if you have to slaughter everyone in the village. Just get me the scrolls."

Tobi looked around the room before raising his hand. "Excuse me leader-sama."

Pein turned his head towards Tobi and glared. "What is it?"

"So you want us to just walk right to those countries, ransack the village for the original secret scroll and then come back here alive?"

"If you don't retrieve it, you're better off dying there because I'll kill anyone who fails this mission."

Tobi gulped. "I understand."

"Good. Now here are the teams." Pein looked around the room, making some quick decisions in his head before pointing towards Deidara and Tobi. "You two will go to Iwa. I'm sure you guys will leave with a bang."

Pein then pointed to the next team. "Hidan and Kakuzu. You will travel to Kumo and retrieve it. I'm sure there are plenty of bounties there to satisfied your needs Kakuzu. Just make sure that you get the scroll."

"Zetsu, you go into Kiri since you can infiltrate their defense easily."

"Itachi. You will go to Suna. Even with Gaara as the Kazekage, I'm sure you can subdue him easily."

Naruto held his breath, knowing that he was the only one left. He saw Pein slowly turning his head and looked at Naruto. "Uzumaki. You will go to Konoha. I'm sure you personally know where the scrolls are kept."

"It's done." Naruto replied. "What are you planning on doing with this Pein?"

Pein smirked slightly. A facial expression that rarely graces his face. "That doesn't concern you Uzumaki."

Naruto growled and glared. "To hell with your plans then. If you're not telling me, then I'm not doing your dirty work."

Pein narrowed his eyes and returned an equally cold glare. "Do you not trust me Uzumaki?"

Naruto scoffed. "You can't blame me. You did try to kill me in the past. How would I know that you wouldn't try it again?"

Deidara laughed. "Fool. We gave up with hunting the bijuus because the Hachibi left this world. Without it, we couldn't continue with our original plan of purifying the world."

"Once you retrieve those original scrolls, I will tell you but not a moment sooner." Pein said as he turned around but he stopped half way, remembering something. "Zetsu, give him the robes." He then disappeared into the room, not caring what the rest of them did afterwards.

"Yes my lord."

The Akatsuki members stood there, watching their leader disappear back into a hidden room. One by one, they all left towards their destination until there was only Zetsu and Naruto left.

"Here." Zetsu dully said as he threw Naruto a set of dark robes.

Naruto caught the garment easily and spread it apart, slowly feeling the soft fabric. "It's very ironic. A few years ago, we were enemies and now we're working together. Who would have thought?"

Naruto pulled the string near his shoulders and his old cloak slid right off. He swung the new cloak around him and felt the soft fabric on his skin. "Let's see what the future has in store for me!"

- - -

"You want me to what?" Ino yelled out.

"Are you insane?" Shizune also yelled. The two stood there, staring at their Hokage with widened eyes. "That goes against all protocol Tsunade-sama."

"Trust me, this will work!" Tsunade answered in her defense. "If Ino travels with Jiraiya for a while, their bound to run into Naruto and maybe she can talk to him on my behalf."

"What about the part about marking Jiraiya-sama as a missing-nin?"

"Oh don't worry about it. The paperwork goes through me as usual." Tsunade snickered. "I'll just lose the paper somehow and make up some other prosperous excuse of not getting it down. Besides, the Bingo Book can only be updated every three months. That leaves us with exactly a month to get this job done."

Shizune and Ino stood there with their jaws slightly ajar. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Their own Hokage, throwing a monkey wrench into the plans of the council. Weren't they supposed to work together in bringing harmony to the village?

"But but. What the hell are you going to do about me? Mark me as a missing-nin as well?" Ino protested. "I never agreed to that!"

"Never Ino. I will be sending you out on a long-term escort mission for a month instead. No one will be much wiser."

"Tsunade-sama. This is highly unfair to Ino. Shouldn't you even get her consent first?" Shizune said, bringing up her own thoughts about the situation.

"Fine Shizune. I will ask her what she thinks." Tsunade said as she rolled her eyes. "Well Ino Yamanaka. Do you accept the mission?"

Ino looked at Tsunade who was smiling sweetly at her but in her right hand held a medium size paperweight. A metallic one. Ino watched the paperweight collapse from under the pressure of Tsunade's death grip. The fist slowly closed, causing the paperweight to shrink in size until it became a fourth of its original size.

"I accept!" Ino hastily replied, her eyes still watching the object in Tsunade's hand.

"Great! Now just relax while I get in contact with Jiraiya. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice." Tsunade happily answered as she threw her now crushed paperweight towards the wall.

Ino watched as the metallic object, crushed and disfigured, leave a mark in the wall from the impact. She let out a small eep as it slowly dropped to the floor. It was a good thing that she agreed with the plan or she would have been like that paperweight.

Shizune glared at Tsunade, waiting for her mentor to continue. Tsunade saw the dirty look that Shizune was giving her but ignored it until Ino was completely hooked on her idea.

"Since it's settle. I want you to rest up and be prepared for anything. I have an odd feeling from the depths of my stomach that something is going to happen soon. Be on your guard Ino."

"Hai." Ino bowed and left the room. Her only thought in the head was how she was supposed to play her role in this game of Tsunade's. She only sighed as she headed back to her apartment, wanting to take a much long overdue bath.

"Explain." Shizune said as she watched the door shut itself from the outside. "Why did you send Ino with Jiraiya? You could have sent me!"

Tsunade shook her head. "I know those old farts on the council are monitoring my every move and I'm sure their watching yours as well. I can't afford to send you away because it would alert them and I don't want them catching on too fast. The reason I sent Ino is because of her history with Naruto. Maybe she can get through to him and she is also a member on the council so they don't suspect her yet. She can move under the radar whereas you will have a much harder time."

"So we're going to let Ino rush into her own death?"

"Never. If everything goes according to plan, she will be unharmed."

"But you're sending her with Jiraiya. Are you sure he won't do anything perverted with her?" Shizune asked, a sense of insecurity in her voice. Sending a female to accompany Jiraiya was just like sending a lamb into a lion's den.

Tsunade smirked. "Ino's not known as the best torture and interrogation expert in Konoha for nothing Shizune. If that pervert crosses the line, I'm sure she'll hurt him where it hurts the most."

Shizune sighed. "Okay but just to be clear, I'm not a hundred percent on board with your plan."

"It's alright. It's my burden alone to carry and I don't need you to help me. I'll do just fine." Tsunade dropped back into her seat and closed her eyes. "If I don't do this now, I'll never forgive myself."

Shizune had a sad smile on her face as she watched Tsunade, who was like an older sister to her slump in her chair. She was facing the world alone and she didn't have any family members left but her. Jiraiya and Naruto left Konoha and it was now up to her to see that Tsunade was going to keep herself out of trouble.

Just as Shizune closed the door behind her, she missed the tears that was falling out of Tsunade's eyes.

Tsunade knew herself that she was crying and it was because of all the regret that she held in her heart. There was just so much a person can bear before collapsing. If she still had Naruto, she could endure any burden to make that kid Hokage.

If she had Jiraiya, she might have to tolerate it with his occasional support but they were family to her. They were the only ones that came close of being her only family but now, they were gone. All she had left was Shizune and she would be damned if Shizune was taken from her just like the others.

- - -

"Is it finished Sasuke?"

"Yes Shinrei-sama." Sasuke replied, a smile on his face. This was the moment he was waiting for. The moment of revenge. After all these long months of training, of sacrifice. He would finally have his revenge on Naruto.

Shinrei stood up and started to laugh. An evil maniacal laughter erupted from the man shrouded in complete darkness. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at his antics.

"Soon… Konoha will be under my control! Those fools on the council are completely clueless to my plans. It is only a matter of time before I launch my takeover." Shinrei clapped his hands together and opened one hand, a bright orange flame appearing at the center of his palm. "Do you know what this is Sasuke?"

"A flame?" Sasuke answered, uninterested with where this conversation was going.

"No you fool. This is what Sarutobi claims to be the will of fire, a trait that every Konoha citizen has within themselves. When I rise to power, I will CRUSH IT!" Shinrei shouted and he closed his palm, making a fist.

'_You are the fool Shinrei.'_ Sasuke thought as he watched his so-called master continue with his laughter. '_When I'm through with you, I'll end up controlling Konoha. A fool like you will never understand the true power that this village has to offer.'_

"Where is that fool Danzo hiding Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "I have my Ne on the lookout as we speak. They have been given orders to eliminate and dispose of that fool."

"Good…" Shinrei answered. "And what of the demon?"

"They brought my plan. I'm just waiting on the Nara fool to make a plan and for the Bingo Book to be updated. Once both parts have been complete, I will personally kill him."

Even though Sasuke couldn't see Shinrei right now, he had a pretty good guess on what was going on in that man's head. Not once since he offered his services to this man, Shinrei, had he seen the man's identity.

"Get out of my sight." That was the man's reply. Short and straight to the point. Sasuke activated his Sharingan and watched the man fade back into the shadows. No matter how many times he had his bloodline activated, he couldn't learn the secret to that trick. No chakra residue, no chakra whatsoever.

Sasuke deactivated the Sharingan and gritted his teeth. "It's only a matter of time until I find you Shinrei…" Sasuke muttered under his breath as he too, disappeared from the room.

- - -

_Somewhere just outside of Konoha_

Standing somewhere in the region of Konoha, stood a man of indescribable traits. He was not your average man and by far, he was one of a kind. Unique if he was compared to others.

This man stood at a good 5 foot 10 inches with his golden locks swaying casually in the wind. While this man paled in comparison other muscular ninjas, he was by no means a pushover. Where he lacked in muscle, he made up for with his skills and knowledge. Push and trained to limits where a normal human would have given up, he surpassed everyone's expectations.

His cold cerulean eyes strike fear into the heart of many.

His reputation has spread to all the great villages and even fresh genin have been taught to stay away from him for that he is the only ninja to be branded the rank of SS.

He is Uzumaki Naruto, the man who is known as the Silent Storm.

Naruto stood on top of a tree, concentrating chakra to the point where the tip of the tree met his foot. He stood there, his eyes closed and his new cloak swaying in the wind. He could almost hear everything, the birds… the leaves rustling… the rushing water in a brook and the faint cries of some animals in the forest.

He knew he was close to Konoha and he knew what he had to do.

A job. That was what this was.

A job. He never expected to come back to Konoha. The only way he was coming back is if he was dead and his body being dragged by several hunter nins.

Konoha… the place that forsaken him.

Konoha… the place that caused him nothing but pain and suffering.

Konoha…. the place where he swore he would never return to.

This was Konoha… the place where he would be passing judgment on.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

Author's Note: I've been quite busy lately, more than usual. I seen the PMs and reviews that you guys sent me and it's just taking me some time to respond to the questions. If you didn't hear back from me, don't worry. I'm working on it. Now, I want to take the time to thank all the people who left me reviews. Really guys, thank you. I loved reading all of them.

FaQ Section

This was a popular question that most people asked so I thought I would address it right now. "Why is the council more powerful than the Hokage? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Aren't they just 'Advisors' to the Hokage?"  
- I know for a fact that the Hokage is the absolute ruler of Konoha but what I wanted to do is show an equal balance of power, where the Hokage may be the dominate political figure but the position of Hokage is only as good as the people who elect them. I wanted to do a remake of the position with several ideas from the United States Government but I don't think it matters because in a few chapters, a surprising change is going to happen. Something very unexpected will happen to the whole governing system in Konoha. I have also planned it out since chapter one. I mean come on, if I didn't, what kind of author would I be?

What about the pairing Ino and Naruto? When are they going to come into play?  
- Good question! The pairing of this story is **indeed** Ino and Naruto but I dont want to rush their relationship. I mean come on. Who seriously expects the girl to walk into a town, find a guy who houses a demon and befriends him like that. It's just unrealistic. I'm slowly bringing them together though a series of events. I like working with reality, although this is a fictional story. The genre of this story is Action/Adventure/Angst. I'm not really sure if I'm up for romance since I am a guy but I'll throw in a few romance chapters in this story for the people who want it.


	10. The Commencement

I know it's been a long time since I updated but fear not, the best part of this story, in my opinion, is here. The next following chapters will finally finish up some loose ends, answer some questions etc. Hope you all enjoy it and thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming folks. Check out my new story, The Forgotten if you haven't already. I hear it's pretty good .

Oh if anyone gets confused, this chapter is designed to show the journey of each Akatsuki team. It works better like this.

I like to thank **Seilif** for betaing this chapter! Many thanks man!

* * *

"_A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind."  
- Daisaku Ikeda _

_- - -_

_6 PM - Iwagakure no Sato_

Deidara had his eyes closed; his attention was centered towards one thing and one thing only, the success of this mission. He had to succeed, he must. Failure was not an option here.

"Deidara-sempai... you sure we can pull this job off? According to this statistical graph compiled by yours truly, our odds don 't look that great."

The sound of his partner's voice disrupted him from his daily mediation. He opened one eye and saw Tobi sitting near the front of the ride, his back turned to him. He fought off the urge to accidentally swing his foot forward.

"Of course we'll succeed, who do you think you're talking to? This will be a piece of cake." Deidara laughed. "Don't worry so much Tobi, it will go according to plan. Trust me on this."

"But what if we run into the Tsuchikage? I heard he's literally called The Fortress." Tobi shuddered at the thought. "I mean, what does he need to look like to have people calling him The Fortress? Look like one?" A mental picture formulated itself inside the young Akatsuki member's head.

Deidara rolled his eyes. "Don't believe everything you hear Tobi. The Tsuchikage is just a pile of bones. Just leave him to me and focus on getting the scroll."

Tobi nodded his head. "Leader-sama wanted the original secret scrolls from each village. What does he mean by that? The original scrolls."

Deidara suppressed the urge to laugh at his partner's expense. It wasn't a surprise that no one knew about the original scrolls. It wasn't a secret; it was just forgotten over time, lost in the pages of ninja history.

The missing-nin grinned and pulled out some of his famous clay. "This is what the original scrolls look like Tobi." Deidara worked his artistic skills and within moments, the clay took shape, forming a regular scroll. "The reason why they're called the original scrolls is because when the great villages were first formed, the very first kinjutsus were written on this special kind of paper. As more and more jutsus were classified as forbidden, the Kages saw that there was no way this paper could hold any more information so they opted to switch to a bigger, longer scroll which they now called the forbidden scrolls."

Tobi nodded his head furiously. "I get it now Deidara-sempai. All I have to do is search for the scroll and then we can run for the hills."

Deidara chuckled. "Idiot…" His eyes wandered past Tobi as they watched the sun setting slowly over the horizon. "…no matter what happens today, leave the Tsuchikage to me. Your main priority is to search for the scrolls. I am your backup, your distraction. You got it?"

"Aye Deidara-sempai, I understand..." Tobi replied, the feelings of his words were still left hanging in the air. "You know, Deidara-sempai… I can't help but feel that you know the Tsuchikage personally or something."

"Now why would you say that?"Was the seemingly amused response from the clay user.

"I don't know..." Tobi answered. "I can just tell by the tone of your voice... The way you talk about him..."

"Tch." Deidara scoffed. "There is no relation between me and that old coot." He answered. "We are enemies, nothing more."

Tobi jumped up from his spot and clapped his hands, as if he just figured out something. "I know what happened! You slept with the Tsuchikage's daughter! That's probably the reason why he hates you!"

Deidara's eyebrow twitched and quickly connected his fist with the back of Tobi's head. "IDIOT! Keep your irrational comments to yourself and let me regain my focus here!" The artist took a seat once more, a scowl adorning his features, trying to ignore all that had been said by his partner; he spoke one last time before meditating once more. "It's time we prepared ourselves."

Tobi groaned as he rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head. "Yes sempai."

_15 Minutes Later_

"Are you sure this is the best way to enter?" Tobi whispered.

"Yes. No one is expecting it."

Covered by the night sky, the giant clay bird slowly descended from the heavens. It flapped its large wings slowly and softly. Not wanting to attract any attention to itself. The shadows of the night hid its figure perfectly, allowing it to descend into the city without any problems. The village was sheltered behind large mountains, gaining solitude and protection from outside forces.

As soon as the bird was low enough, the Akatsuki duo jumped off and landed on the balcony of the Tsuchikage Chambers quietly. Deidara waved his hand and dispelled the large bird, returning it back to clay once more.

"Which way do I go Deidara-sempai?" Tobi asked. "Up, down, left or right?"

"Quiet you idiot..." Deidara hissed. He walked over to the glass doors before peeking inside. He waved hand, signaling for Tobi to come over. "Okay you see the desk?"

Tobi looked inside and saw the large desk. "Yes sempai. Is it hidden inside it?"

Deidara shook his head. "The old man's cautious about leaving valuable things in the open. He keeps everything he considers important downstairs, just directly beneath his desk inside an iron safe."

Deidara looked around the office some more, his eyes carefully searching the room for something that could prove troublesome to their mission. "A large painting, books, a green carpet… the old man didn't even bother to redecorate..." He mumbled to himself.

When he felt that the room was secured enough, he reached over to the doorknob and picked the lock, granting them entrance inside.

"Let's go Tobi..." Deidara said as he pulled the door open. "…Tobi?" He turned around and saw that his partner was nowhere in sight.

He turned back around and saw Tobi sitting on the desk, and even though his face was behind a mask, the blond shinobi knew there was a smudge grin hidden out of his sight. "What kept you sempai?"

Deidara growled and marched over. "Shut up and go do your job. I'll keep watch out here..."

"I've been expecting you Deidara." A bored voice interrupted Deidara's instructions.

The Akatsuki pair quickly turned around, surprised that someone else was in the room besides them. "Who's there?" Tobi asked.

"I saw you coming before you even created your transportation, Deidara. I saw you coming before you even got up this morning..."

"Are you psychic?" Tobi asked. His voice was like a child, filled with curiosity and excitement. "Can you tell me when you saw me coming?"

"TOBI!" Deidara yelled out. "Quit messing around. He is not psychic. Show yourself old man."

The voice chuckled. "As you wish." A sudden increase of chakra alerted Deidara and Tobi towards the painting that hung on the wall. The painting slowly disappeared, revealing a man who looked like he was in his seventies. He was dressed in professional Kage robes with the hat leaning forward, covering his face.

Deidara growled as he watched a man appear from the painting. "I thought it was funny that you left your office so early."

The Tsuchikage smiled. "I heard the flapping sounds from your clay bird from a mile away Deidara. You can't fool these old ears."

"Are you sure this is the Tsuchikage, Deidara-sempai?" Tobi asked. The young apprentice looked over the old man carefully.

"Don't let his appearance fool you Tobi; this man was once known as The Impenetrable Fortress of Iwa because of his unmovable defense. He was known for his battle techniques both on and off the field. He was the youngest person to ever hold the position of Kage in this village. Hidekatsu Shibata, the 5th Tsuchikage of Iwagakure no Sato."

Shibata clapped his hands happily. "I'm glad you're still as sharp as ever Deidara."

Deidara narrowed his eyes and spat on the ground. "Cut the crap you old geezer! Get to it Tobi, I'll cover you from here on out."

Tobi nodded his head and began to sink into the ground. "Don't die sempai, I really don't feel like carrying your carcass back to base."

"Like I would lose to the likes of him." Deidara retorted. He watched as Tobi disappeared into the ground, making his way towards the safe. His eyes fixated themselves on his opponent, who was smiling cheekily at him.

"No hug?" Shibata asked. "Is this how you greet me Deidara?"

"Oh, I'll hug you good old man, when I kill you!" Deidara sneered.

Shibata sighed. "After all these years, you still haven't learned any manners." And with one quick motion, the Tsuchikage pulled off his traditional garbs, revealing battle armor underneath his robes. "I guess it's about time that this old man corrected his mistakes from the past and drill them into your head once and for all."

Deidara stood his ground, a sadistic expression gleaming on his face. "Bring it… gramps."

- - -

_6:30 PM Kirigakure no Sato_

"**This is the office of the Mizukage? It's pathetic. Does the man have no style? No personality?**" A dark voice speculated.

His partner, on the other hand, remained quiet as he looked over the room. "It seems like Mizukage-dono was in a rush today."

"**Why do you say that?**"

"His desk seems to have been pieced back together rather sloppily after it got destroyed somehow and the papers on it have all been shuffled around."

"**So this guy is a slob. Let's just get this job over with.**"

Zetsu slowly appeared from the face of the wall, his body slowly emerging from it. "We should split up and see where the scrolls are." The light side stated. He moved over to the vast library behind the desk, for the office of the Mizukage was decorated with books and scrolls.

"**This guy must be a nerd to have all these books.**" The darker side smirked and held up a one handed seal. "**Museiseishoku no Jutsu**"

Zetsu suddenly began to tremble and shake all over. He crouched and within moments, the body split apart. "**Finally, I'm free.**" The Darker side of Zetsu laughed. "**Let's tear this place to pieces!**"

The lighter side of Zetsu coughed as he regained his composure. "No. We have a mission to do. You look downstairs while I look in this room. The sooner we can find it, the sooner we can leave this place."

"**Thank kami you're the boring side. I wonder how life would have been if you didn't have me around.**"

"A lot better..." The lighter side of Zetsu retorted. He could see the scowled look on his other half's face and enjoyed it. "Get to work."

"**Slave driver.**"

"Weakling."

The darker side growled and started to sink into the floor. "**Don't do anything up here that I wouldn't do.**" He stated.

The lighter side rolled his eyes and walked over to the desk. "Point dully noted." When his other half finally disappeared, he began searching through the desk.

"Tch. Mizukage-dono is sure a messy man." He commented as he threw the useless papers onto the floor.

The desk was by no means neatly organized. Papers were flung all over the place, crumpled and ripped. Coffee and tea spills were still visible on some parts of the desk. Aside from the mess that was on the top layer, the inside of the drawers were carelessly filed together. Unlocked and accessible to the first person who opened the file cabinet were the ANBU personnel files, complete with personal information, ability rankings, and pictures of the unmasked shinobi, leaving their identities exposed to the world. Placing those inside his robes for later follow up, he kept on rummaging through the mess until he deemed that the desk had no further use.

With a long, drawn-out sigh, Zetsu walked over to the huge library and skimmed through the books. "No… Not it… Not even close…" The half man, half plant mumbled as he speedily read the titles. "How to entice the opposite sex…?" Zetsu raised his eyebrow in surprise. "The man must be a loser…" He chucked the book behind him and continued his search.

- - -

_With the other Zetsu_

"**Ha. That loser probably got the worst part of the deal; searching through the even bigger loser's library. This should be a piece of cake for me.**"

What he didn't know that he was about to reach a chamber only a selective few had dared to enter. The chamber of the third Mizukage.

The darker half of Zetsu finally reached the basement and when he got there, his eyes widened in surprise. "**Oh holy mother of shit…**"

Standing before him was a room that was twice the size of their hideout. Their cave could easily hold a thousand people but their cave paled in comparison to this. "**This loser has his own secret base here… **"

Zetsu slowly entered the sacred room and the first thing he saw troubled him even more. "**What the hell? What kind of conceited freak would even put a portrait of himself up like this? He brings shame to the name of losers…**"

The room itself wasn't bad. It was luxurious in size and comfort but the smell was horrible. He had to bite his own tongue to keep himself from vomiting. "**Even dead bodies don't smell this bad…**"

It took enormous willpower to keep himself focused on finding the scroll. Aside from the smell and the hideous portrait staring at him, Zetsu considered himself lucky. The room had small shelves that held nothing but boxes, drawers.

"**This doesn't look that bad. Should be an easy job."**

His expression soon changed when he opened the first drawer. Inside the first drawer, were scrolls… hundreds of them, somehow compressed to fit inside the medium-sized drawer. Zetsu's eyes twitched as he took a step back and stared at the entire room, filled with drawers.

"**What the freaking hell is this!!!**" He yelled out in frustration. "**The man is a freak of nature!** **I'll kill him!**"

- - -

_7 PM Sunagakure no Sato_

Gaara, the fifth Kazekage of Suna. The demon of Suna. Those were the titles that were earned and given. He could easily crush any advancing army without moving a finger. His absolute defense was legendary among ninjas. Only a handful of techniques were able to pierce through his armor and for those ninjas who managed to do it, usually didn't live to tell about it.

He accomplished many things in his life and yet, there was still something he was still unable to do. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't win. The obstacle? The woman standing in his office with an angry unreadable expression on her face.

"Well? I'm waiting for your excuse Gaara."

Gaara felt the insane amount of killing intent leaking out from the woman. Whoever claimed that women were the weaker sex of the human race obviously needed to have their head examine. As strong as he was, there was still no way he could look this woman in the eyes and start explaining himself.

"Gaara." The woman said his name again. Her voice was calm but it was laced with anger. Like a snake hiding in the grass, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Gaara's eyes quickly searched for a way out but noticed that the windows were conveniently shut and the doors were closed. He couldn't use the sand to destroy her. It was unreasonable and she'll most likely wait for him in the afterlife. An idea suddenly popped into his head and he lowered his head, a small grin on his face.

Before the woman could register the fact that Gaara disappeared from his seat, she found herself standing very close to the Kazekage. She started to open her mouth to yell but before she had a chance, Gaara lowered his mouth and captured hers in a passionate kiss.

Gaara could feel her anger melting away as she put her arms around his neck as his arms were around her waist. They continued the kiss for a good few minutes before she broke apart for air.

Slightly panting, she tried her best to sound angry but just staring at her husband, she couldn't find an ounce of anger in her. "That… was unexpected."

Gaara held his wife closer and hugged her tightly. "I'm just full of surprises Matsui." He lowered his head slightly and whispered. "I hope you forgive me for being late."

Even after two years of marriage, Matsui found herself blushing as she felt Gaara's breath tickling her ear. It made her feel special the way Gaara acted around her when they were alone. "Of course I forgive you Gaara. I love you more than anything." She sighed as she rested her head on his strong shoulders. "I just wish you would stop working so hard..."

Gaara nodded his head. "I'll try not to work so much in the future Matsui." He reluctantly released her and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "Why don't you go home first? There's something I still need to take care of."

Matsui pouted and wanted to reason with him but she stopped when she noticed that his expression suddenly became serious. She had seen this same look before and it usually meant that something was wrong.

"Okay. I'll wait for you at home." She said. She gave him one last kiss before pulling away slowly. "Be careful." She whispered.

Gaara nodded his head as he watched her leave the room. He took a deep breath and sighed. "It's rude to spy on people when they are having intimate moments. I know you're here. Come out Uchiha."

A figure suddenly appeared from the windows, an amused expression written on usually stoic his face. "How did you know I was there Kazekage-dono? I thought I did a pretty good job hiding myself."

"If you have forgotten, we're in a desert, surrounded by sand. There is no place in my village where you can hide Itachi. Now tell me, what did you hope to accomplish by coming into my office like this?"

Itachi remained emotionless as he took a step forward. "You have something that I want Gaara. Give it to me or I'll have to kill you."

Gaara, with his usual stoic expression on his face stared at the missing-nin. "What makes you think you can kill me Itachi? You forget that you're surrounded by the desert. It's my territory here."

Itachi shrugged. "Petty threats only make you weak Gaara. I'd hate to see your wife crying over your dead body."

Gaara growled. "Leave her out of this Itachi. What do you want? The bijuu or the location of Naruto?"

"Neither of those. I just want your village scrolls."

"Why?"

"It's none of your concern. Give me the scrolls and I'll leave peacefully."

The two men, both equally great in terms of their skills but the difference in beliefs set them apart. One walked the path of chaos and destruction while one walked the path of salvation. They were both known as antisocial people but they acted based on their own beliefs and goals. Not once caring about what other people thought.

Uchiha Itachi.

Sabaku no Gaara.

"While I have no relations to Konoha, I can't let you leave here alive Itachi. You're a wanted missing-nin and if I just let you walk out of here without some kind of fight, I would be in trouble."

Itachi nodded his head in agreement. "Then let's do this..." The Uchiha blinked once and the Sharingan appeared. "Let's see what the Godaime Kazekage can do..."

"**Goukakyuu no Jutsu**"

Gaara narrowed his eyes and held his palm in front of him. A wall of sand instantly rose up, shielding their master from the fiery blast. "Is that the best you can do?" Gaara taunted while a smile formed on his lips. It's been a while since he had a good fight.

"You know, you remind me of someone..." Itachi answered before charging head on. With his Sharingan appearing in his eyes, he could see the way Gaara was directing the sand. It still seemed slow but it doesn't matter, he had heard about this 'Absolute Defense' of his and well, rumors are sometimes exaggerated.

Several sand spikes appeared from the floor, causing Itachi to increase his pace. From the corner of his eye, he could see Gaara fully concentrating on the sand and Itachi used it to his advantage. He began flipping through hand seals at an extremely fast rate.

"**Suiton - Suigadan**"

Upon hearing the name of that attack, Gaara's eyes widened as he saw water, appear from his office. Drills composed entirely of water came flooding straight towards him.

Cursing his secretary for having those bottles of water in his office, he quickly summoned his sand and used it to protect him from the oncoming attack.

Itachi, on the other hand, took this chance and jumped above Gaara and flung a shuriken towards the shield. "**Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**" One weapon soon became many and a shower of stars made their way towards Gaara.

The red head grunted as he pumped more chakra into his sand, protecting him from the assault. He watched as Itachi landed sideways against the wall, sitting there watching.

"**Sabaku Kyuu**" He whispered and as quickly as he said it, sand appeared from behind Itachi, trapping him. "**Sabaku Sousou**" He forcefully closed his hand and watched the sand mimic the action. To the Kazekage's surprise, the Itachi that was caught disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Falling for such an amateur trick… I'm beginning to think that without your bijuu, you really are weak." Itachi taunted from behind Gaara. The Uchiha concentrated some chakra to his fist and smashed it against Gaara's face, sending him crashing through his desk and into the wall.

"Get up. I'm not done with you yet."

Gaara coughed as he stood up, kicking aside the broken pieces of his desk. "No… We're done here." He slammed his hands on the ground and smirk. "You were caught in my trap from the moment you stepped foot inside my office Itachi and because of your arrogance, it will cost you your life."

The room suddenly began to change. Ceilings, furniture, the colors on the wall. Everything began to look like the color of sand. Itachi raised an eyebrow, a curious expression on his face. "You think sand is going to trap me?"

Gaara smirked. "Not just any sand. It's a shit load of sand!"

Sand began to appear throughout the room and within moments, the entire room was composed entirely out of sand. "You see Itachi. My gourd was a bit too small to hold all my sand so I improvised over the years. The entire room and everything in it, is composed of my sand. It's like a genjutsu but with sand. There is no escape for you today."

Itachi watched on as sand slowly came together, surrounding both Gaara and him. His Sharingan was blazing in his eyes and he could tell that his mark wasn't bluffing on this one. This sand was different from the rest. It had more chakra and from the looks of it, it's been storing chakra for quite some time.

"**Sabaku Rou**" Gaara whispered. He watched as the sand came together, forming a circular barrier and trapping Itachi inside of it.

- - -

_7:30 PM Kumogakure no Sato_

In this well-known village of Kumogakure no Sato, the night represents a time of quietness and serenity but instead of that, the village was crying out in pain.

The streets were drenched with blood, the dirt soaked up so much that the brown soil was now red. The stench of blood was so strong, it could be perceived from miles away.

"What the hell is this Hidan? I leave you alone for a good 15 minutes and when I come back, you flood the streets with the bodies of Kumo's ANBU?"

Hidan gave his partner a cheekily smile. "They were just asking to meet Lord Jashin, Kakuzu. Anyway, how did you turn out?"

Kakuzu sighed. "The Raikage reluctantly agreed to our terms. He's currently retrieving the scroll for us on the condition that we stop killing off his men."

"How about we take the head of the Raikage?" Hidan suggested. He twirled his scythe around before slamming it into the ground. "It'll be fun. How about it?"

Kakuzu shook his head. "He's not important enough to be worth my attention but on the other hand, that new kid is."

"Uzumaki?"

"Have you seen his bounty? He's worth three times as much as mine."

"I don't think it's a good idea. The brat has the Kyuubi inside of him. Who knows what will happen if he resorts to unleashing that beast..." Hidan said. "…I may be immortal but I'm not stupid to mess with the wrath of a demon."

Kakuzu scoffed. "We captured the Nibi with ease. What can that Uzumaki brat do?"

Hidan counted the ways off with his fingers. "Well for starters, the leader will kill us. Then the Kyuubi will eat us alive, and oh yeah! Did you forget that the Kyuubi is the strongest of the bijuu?"

"Wimp."

"Mortal."

"Insane religious freak."

"That hurt." Hidan replied. He sported a mock hurt expression on his face. "That was a low blow."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "That's the problem with you. You haven't lived long enough to have seen the world, kid. Money is everything here, and as long as you have it, you control power and respect."

"I really don't care what you say Kakuzu, the Kyuubi is something that I don't even want to deal with. I'm just glad he's on our side."

His partner laughed. "What? Afraid that the brat will show you how it feels like to be mortal?" Kakuzu taunted.

"Never." Hidan sharply answered. "But seriously. When he fought against Deidara, I didn't even feel him use the demonic chakra even once. If he's this good without the Kyuubi, think about it when he uses it. He is truly something to be feared and I doubt that even with all your hearts,we'd be able to lay a finger on him..."

Kakuzu thought about it. His partner had made several good points in reference to the brat but even still, the thrill of the hunt was in his blood. He was a bounty hunter before anything else and didn't get a thrill from hunting weaklings. It's the strong ones that gave him the most satisfaction.

His thoughts were soon interrupted by a messenger sent by the Raikage. "Um… Excuse me gentlemen…" The messenger timidly said. "The Raikage requests your presence right now…"

Hidan laughed. "So he _requests_ our presences now. The Raikage sure acts like a big man when he's not dealing with us directly." He put his arm around the messenger and grinned. "Do you know what I hate about people who requests things from other people?"

The messenger nervously shook his head. "No sir, I don't know. What do you hate?"

Hidan brought his scythe close enough that it made a small cut on the man's face. "I hate people who refuse to do their own jobs themselves." He whispered back.

The messenger began to quiver in fear. "Please don't kill me. I'm just a messenger here."

"Relax kid, I have a heart. Why don't you run off now? We got a meeting with your Raikage."

The messenger nodded and disappeared. Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "I hate it when you toy with them. Just kill him and get it over with already."

"But it's so much more fun this way." Hidan laughed. He licked the blood off the scythe and his body proceeded to turn black, giving him the appearance of a grim reaper. White lines proceeded to appear over his body where the bones under his skin would be. His feet dragged on the ground, drawing a symbol on the moist dirt, and taking a spiked metal rod, Hidan licked his lips as he drove the stake into his heart. The feeling of his organs being pierced gave him a sense of pleasure, but what caused him more joy, was the sound of the messenger's screams of agony and despair as he felt his own heart pierced by iron.

Yes, this was Hidan's ability. His immortality and his wound transfer to his victims when having their blood made him a very dangerous opponent to deal with. He dropped to his knees for a couple of seconds as the exhilarating sensation invaded his senses. He removed the stake from his chest within a couple of seconds thereafter and regained his composure within the minute.

"Let's go show them the power of the Immortal Duo!" Hidan said as he stood back up. The wound that just inflicted upon himself slowly disappearing.

"Immortal Duo?" Kakuzu smirked. "I guess that's a fitting name for us."

- - -

_8 PM Konohagakure no Sato_

The village of Konohagakure was known to have raised legends with each passing generation and while each generation managed to produce ninjas of great caliber, they all had one thing in common.

October 10th.

This date will be forever remembered in the pages of history but what was so significant about this day? This was the day that the Yondaime of Konohagakure defeated and sealed away the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the mightiest of the nine-tailed demons.

On this ceremonial holiday, people usually spend the entire day celebrating but there was always this one person who hated the day. It wasn't because he didn't like it, more like because on October 10th, it was a day of survival; his survival.

While most children learn survival techniques from their parents at an appropriate age, Uzumaki Naruto had to learn for himself just how dangerous the ninja world was at the tender age of 5. It was on this day that gave him the first taste of the misery that life has to offer. After being chased by drunken villagers, beaten at the gate by local boys and then having ninjas breaking into his apartment, it was more than enough to drive anyone crazy but not Naruto. The boy was indeed special, believing that there was always an upside to life.

Fifteen years later, he knew how big of a mistake it was to believe that life only had an upside. No, in fact, it was just the opposite. There is no upside to life.

Naruto grunted to himself as he strolled through the Market District of Konoha, reliving the haunting memories of his past. When he had first snuck in through the front gates under a Henge, he first visited his old apartment but when he got there, the place was torn down for a new spacious hotel. That didn't bother him much. His apartment was just like any other place Naruto lived in, a temporary home. Hell, home was too good of a word to be wasted on that dump. It was just a prison that sheltered him during his early years.

As he walked through the crowded space, he casually minded his surroundings. Even though he was under henge, he still didn't feel safe. Besides hiding his new cloak and birthmarks, his normal blond hair was now black. Even with this simple henge, no one was able to recognize him and it was better off that way, leaving everyone else none the wiser.

He soon found himself standing at the outer edge of the city square, watching a performance take place. Naruto snorted in disgust as he observed the storyteller interact with the crowd, not paying much attention to his remarks and version of reliving the successful, yet tragic battle of the Yondaime Hokage and the Kyubi no Kitsune. He heard the crowd shouting boos when an incredibly fake and inaccurate depiction of the Kyuubi appeared but when the hero of the story jumped on, everyone started cheering.

Naruto gripped his hands tightly, his blood boiling as he heard the insults from the crowd.

"Get the demon! Skin it alive Yondaime-sama!"

"Dirty filthy demon. Thank Kami-sama that you're dead!"

"Praise the lord for our savior, the Yondaime of Konoha!"

Having heard enough, Naruto left the performance and started to walk once again. Those idiotic villagers were too ignorant for their own good. There were so many times during that performance where he felt like slaughtering them all within a blink of an eye. The only thing holding him back was the fact that he was in a village full of ninjas.

While Naruto continued to stroll around the area, he kept a watchful eye for any jounin level ninjas but surprisingly, he didn't see any. What was even more surprising was that he didn't see any of his old friends. Something was wrong here, for they had always showed up to the stupid celebration every year, yet today...oh well, it didn't matter. If anyone got in his way, he would make them wish they didn't.

As Naruto continued towards the Hokage Tower, he passed by an alleyway where he caught the scent of blood. It was fresh too. Just smelling blood caught his interest as he slowly walked into the abandoned alleyway. When he got closer, he heard sounds of someone crying and whimpering.

"This is what you get for standing up to someone as great as me!"

"Yeah boss, show him the error of his ways."

Naruto stood in the darkness, his cerulean eyes staring at the scene that played out before him. A group of bullies were beating on a helpless boy but that wasn't where his eyes went. His attention was drawn towards the mask that the boy held near his chest. It was an ANBU Fox mask. More importantly, it was his. He recognized the crack on the bottom right corner. He vaguely remembered what happened to his mask. He must have dropped it when he was leaving this village and the boy kept it.

"Hey boss. We've been found out." The third boy said. He yanked on his boss's sleeve, getting his attention.

The boy that was committing the physical assault who the other two nicknamed the boss stopped and looked towards Naruto. "What's it to you mister?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just curious to why I caught the scent of blood. What you're doing here is none of my business."

The boss smirked and nodded his head towards his subordinates, signaling that everything was okay. They continued with their beating on the helpless boy as Naruto stood there, watching.

"Hey! Stop beating on him right now!" Someone shouted. The boys froze in their spot, fear written across their face. "Stupid brats. Wait until I get my hands on you!"

"Oh shit boss, it's the she-devil from ANBU." One of the underlings shouted.

The boss turned around and saw her. "Crap it's Ino. Run!" He shouted as the boys broke apart, running in different directions.

Ino growled as she stood at the entrance of the alleyway. "Those idiotic villagers, teaching their children to hate something that doesn't even concern them. It pisses the shit out of me!" She put her hands on her hips. "And you! You should have stopped them! What they were doing was wrong!" Anger clearly hinted in her voice.

Naruto slowly turned around to face Ino, wondering why she was lecturing him. It wasn't any of her business if he stopped that fight or not. Why did she care? She should be out there getting drunk like the rest of those idiots. He pictured her wearing some really hideous purple outfit but when he finally laid his eyes on her, it blew his entire mental image of her away. Standing by the entrance, she was dressed in the complete opposite of what he thought she wore. In fact, she was dressed in a beautiful purple Kimono that hugged her curves perfectly. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail and she finished it with a frown on her face.

"Are you another demon-hater too? It's people like you that I can't stand. Always so closed-minded and refusing to accept the fact that Naruto was a good man! Teaching the new generation will get you nowhere because as long as I'm here, I'll make sure that people like you will never succeed. Why can't you just accept Naruto for who he is and not what he was? The way you villagers think truly disgusts me!"

Hearing her talk about him like that, he now had a different opinion about her. Naruto sent Ino an icy glare that made her cringe when she looked in his eyes. He didn't bother explaining himself to her as he walked by but before he was out of hearing range; he whispered something that only she could hear.

"Back then, no one bothered to take the time out of their schedule to help me. I don't see why I should be any different..."

Ino's eyes widened as she quickly turned her head to get a better look at the man but when she tried, the man disappeared, leaving behind only a small breeze of wind in his place.

"Who the hell… was that?" She whispered.

- - -

_Hokage Tower_

While the celebration took place in the Market District of Konoha, the other areas of Konoha were left unguarded. The Hokage Tower, for example, was left with less security. No one expected anything to happen tonight. Not a single assassination attempt, not a single murder, not a single burglary because tonight, everyone had a common interest.

Except for one person.

As Naruto made his way towards the tower, he spotted a lone figure guarding the outside entrance. Putting on his best smile, he approached the unexpected Chunnin on duty. "How do you do sir?"

The Chunnin quickly looked over the visitor and grunted. "This area is off limits. Leave this place at once."

Naruto shook his head. "I can't sir. I need to use the bathroom in there. Can you please let me go in for a second? I won't take long. I swear."

"I said no. You have to leave now."

"But I really need to go!"

The Chunnin sighed and took out a kunai. "If you don't leave now, I'll skin you alive faster than you can scream. Don't think that I won't. There's no one here and you'll be dead before you know it."

The seasoned Chunnin had a sadistic smile on his face, which pleased Naruto. He started chuckling as the Chunnin looked on. "What's so funny? Do you really want to die?"

Naruto grinned as he held up a single hand seal. "Kai." He whispered. That single word struck fear into the heart of that man. He watched as the man he assumed to be a villager turn into something completely different.

"De-e-mon!" The Chunnin stuttered out. He felt his legs giving out as Naruto approached the man.

Within a blink of an eye, the Chunnin's head rolled off his body and dropped to the floor. Naruto scoffed at the man's futile attempt. "All I needed was to use the bathroom you pathetic piece of trash. Oh well, it's not my loss."

As Naruto made his way into the building, he felt several chakra sources around him. He reached under his cloak and took out several kunais before throwing them.

The chakra sources that he sensed in the room dodged skillfully and dropped their disguise. "Halt. You are not allowed entrance here. State your name or be prepared to be dealt with."

Naruto slowly raised his arms into the air, signaling that he was unarmed. "My name ANBU-san? It's Uzumaki Naruto."

The ANBU quickly jumped back and immediately put their hands on their swords. "You dare step foot back here demon?"

Naruto nodded as he took a step forward, resulting in the ANBU unit charging forward. "Fools." Naruto whispered. "Nothing is going to stand in my way tonight." As soon as he dropped his right hand, he summoned his blade of wind and with three swipes, the entire ANBU unit dropped dead on the ground.

He stepped past the dead bodies and stopped in front of the doors that lead to the inner chambers of the Hokage's sanctum. As Naruto pushed open the doors, he was greeted with a person that he was not expecting to see. His eyes narrowed as they began to glow red from anger.

"You…" He whispered.

"Hello Naruto…" The person answered back.

* * *

Author's Note: Woh, I wonder whose that? This is it folks, the turning point. Everything starts coming together! Gasp. Author takes a breath. On a side note, I know the pairing is Naruto x Ino and there hasn't been much interaction between them but their finally together. What else can you ask for? Some romance? Definitely.

Techniques  
**Museiseishoku no Jutsu - Asexual reproduction - Splitting into two beings.**

Now, I'm sure I'll get people asking me why I did that with Zetsu so I'll explain here. Zetsu is unknown. No matter how much research I did, and I did a lot, shows who or what Zetsu is. All we know at this point is that he has the ability to blend into places and stuff. A messenger type ninja if you want to classify him. No known abilities but eating dead bodies. He resembles a venus fly trap and in this story, he is designed and built like a plant.


	11. The Aftermath

Wow, It's been over a month³ince I last updated this story but never fear, I have returned

Wow, It's been over a month since I last updated this story but never fear, I have returned. I like to thank all the people who left me reviews for the previous chapter. It was a joy reading all of them.

Thanks to my betas Seilif and Weixun18 for being patient with my corrections. Props to you both.

_

* * *

_

'No Matter how we reach the conclusion, the ending will always be the same'

- - -

8:30 PM Konohagakure no Sato

Killing intent exploded from Naruto like a broken reservoir, the restraints that he once had no longer applied. His usual blue cerulean orbs were now turning into a shade of blood red, an obvious indication that he was angry.

"Why the long face Uzumaki...? Aren't you glad to see me or should I say… us?"

"You two must have a death wish for sticking around… _Koharu… Homura._" The names rolled off his tongue like a cobra's venom. "You dare to have the audacity to show your faces after what you did to me?" Naruto angrily said.

Short bursts of contemptuous laughter were their reply, "We know why you came here today demon, and I find it very ironic. For you see, today was the day that you first stepped foot into our world and it shall be the day that you leave it in pieces."

Naruto's eyes lit up as he flung his arms out, detaching his cloak from his shoulders. "Do you hear that?" He asked menacingly, his tone unrelenting and mocking. "Did you hear that sound?"

The room became still, not a sound was heard as Koharu and Homura listened for whatever Naruto was referring to. Hearing none, they became flustered, "What madness are you talking about now demon?"

A sadistic smile answered their question, "The sounds of your deaths."

- - -

_Iwagakure no Sato_

On the second floor of the Kage Tower, the once mighty chambers that once belonged to the Tsuchikage no longer remained intact. The events just suddenly occurred; one moment, the room stood together firmly and then… everything blew sky high.

Standing in the middle of the decimated room was the Godaime Tsuchikage of Iwa and a certain S-rank missing-nin.

Shibata calmly took a deep breath as a frown appeared on his face. "You dare use that taijutsu style in my presence?"

"Why the long face? Are you shocked that I was able to master this particular style? It's not a fluke by the way." To prove his point, Deidara slammed his fist into the ground, producing a mild shockwave.

The Tsuchikage narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Your mother would be crying in her grave right now Deidara, using her style in such a naïve way."

Deidara spat on the ground and glared hatefully at the old man. "Don't you dare speak about my mother like that! You lost that privilege on the day you abandoned her!"

"I can see the resemblance between you and her. She was a fool for teaching that style to an outsider and you are more of a fool to use it against me."

"If I'm such a fool, then why am I confident that I will wipe the floor with you?" Deidara taunted as he moved his left leg forward.

Shibata sighed. "Do you still understand nothing? You truly are a worthless grandson of mine." Moving like the wind, Shibata lunged forward and slammed his fist into Deidara's face, sending his grandson to the floor with one blow.

"Who the hell did you think taught your mother the _Tenken _style?"

Deidara growled as he supported himself up with one knee. The old man certainly surpassed his expectations with that one move. He didn't think he was capable of moving at that speed.

"Gangeki."

With no time to counter, Deidara did the only human thing possible. Take the attack head on. From the corner of his eye, he could see Shibata performing the attack but his body needed time to recover from the previous attack. Deidara summoned chakra to soften the blow as he felt the attack against his back.

"Gah…" Deidara felt a loss of breath in his lungs as air rapidly depleted from his lungs. Shibata wasted no time and prepared for another attack.

"Gangeki."

Deidara foresaw the attack and pushed himself away, rolling out of the way and dodging the near fatal blow that almost connected with his head. While he was rolling around, he flung several clay birds at the Tsuchikage.

Shibata was no slouch either. The title of the Tsuchikage was only given to the person when they were considered to the strongest and he was the strongest out of everyone. He slammed his hands into the ground, feeling the cold hard exterior of his floor.

"**Doton: Dai Doro Gaeshi**" The man firmly yelled.

A huge earthen wall appeared in front of Shibata, causing Deidara's projectiles to explode when they collided with the wall. "You're getting rusty Deidara. You cannot beat me with such sloppy tricks."

"Who's using tricks? That was merely a distraction." Deidara uttered as he smashed through the earthen barrier and stepped inside Shibata's defense. "You're mine. _Tenken - hyaku jyuu go -_ _Oushiutsu_"

Deidara unleashed a fury of rapid strikes, all aimed with the sole motive of crippling Shibata permanently. He thought he had the upper hand when he landed one blow near the Tsuchikage's wrist, but his smirk slowly turned into worry when his grandfather started countering his move, one by one and eventually matched him in moves.

"What… the…" Deidara stuttered in surprise when he found his grandfather penetrating his defenses like it was nothing.

"HouShou."

Shibata quickly concentrated chakra to his fist and forcefully connected his punch with Deidara's chest, sending him spiraling to the floor.

"Oh you pathetic grandson of mine." Shibata said, shaking his head disappointedly. "The _Tenken_ style which I developed was made especially for defense. It gives the user the natural control to feel the movements of the enemy. It is only natural that since the taijutsu style was created by studying the movements of the earth. Your techniques are useless against me."

The Iwa missing-nin wiped the blood off his mouth and glared at his grandfather, "You were always the hard-ass of the family. Tough as stone and cold as ice but I'm willing to bet that that defense of yours isn't so sturdy anymore."

He stood back up and tucked his hands into his back pocket. "I'm going to destroy you today old man and once I'm done mopping the floor with you, I can finally leave my past behind."

Shibata laughed. "My blood runs deep in your veins Deidara. You are my daughter's son. No matter where you go, who you kill, you will always be my grandson!"

With that said; Shibata dashed forward and leaped high into the sky. At his maximum velocity, he began twisting and turning before spiraling quickly down towards the ground.

"Ryuusei Tokken!" The Tsuchikage yelled.

Deidara saw the incoming attack and his body began to quiver. '_Is this fear?'_ He thought. '_No… I fear no one.'_ His eyes, which usually had a cocky look in them, was slowly being replaced with a fiery determination. "Tch, making me use this move."

The blond missing-nin began taking several deep breaths before flipping through a series of hand seals. Shibata, even with the distance between them, could see that his grandson was plotting something but it didn't matter. This attack will shatter anything that stood in his way.

"Doton : Kibaku Nendo - C5 Teppeki"

"NO." Shibata shouted as the name of the technique was revealed. He desperately tried to change the direction but at the speed that he was falling, there was no way to do it.

"This is it gramps!" Deidara yelled out. "Don't be late for your appointment with death!"

As Shibata came closer to the clay fortress, he forced himself to change his position so that instead of crashing headfirst, he would land backwards into the clay. "It's not over yet!"

Shibata turned his head slightly, measuring the distance and time he had left before he landed in the exploding clay. His hands quickly went to work, going through three hand seals. '_Ox… Snake… Boar…'_

Deidara had a smirk on his face as he slowly anticipated the loud explosion that would soon follow. The triumphant expression then turned into a frown when he saw his grandfather hitting the clay but in an unusual way. Instead of crashing into it, his grandfather slammed his palm on top of it. His eyes widened when he saw his own clay fortress slowly twisting and shifting until it became an earthen golem.

"It's a pretty handy technique isn't it Deidara? Diberu no Ohotoko." His grandfather answered, slightly winded.

"I hate you…… I hate you…… I HATE YOU!" Deidara yelled out. "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DIE?" The Akatsuki member ripped off his special clay pouch and stuffed his hands into it. Within moments, he waved his hands around; clay began falling from his hands.

"Doton: Kibaku Nendo - C10 Sen Buben"

Shibata was a man who had seen almost everything, fought in many different kinds of battles and he considered himself well rounded enough. He never thought that today was the day when he would actually be rendered speechless.

A thousand soldiers created from exploding clay appeared in his office. Each hanging around or standing on top of each other, staring at him with their twisted faces.

It was an understatement to say that he was shocked. It was a thousand of them against his golem and him. It certainly wasn't his day.

"Die." Deidara coldly said.

Shibata pulled his golem to shield him against the oncoming attacks. His mind rushed to find many different solutions to this problem but all of them resulted in him dying. The last words that entered the Tsuchikage's mind were the name of his grandson. Deidara.

"DEIDARA!" He shouted with everything that he had. Shibata held up the seal of the ox and angrily glared at his grandson. "You're not the only one with a final jutsu!"

"**Doton: Shinou Gojinka**" Those were the last words from the Godaime Tsuchikage. After that, everything went black for the two warriors. The mighty epicenter from the earthquake swallowed Deidara's soldiers at once, causing a chain reaction that resulted in a huge explosion.

Deidara had a faint smile on his face as he felt his vision blackening out. "I did it…" He whispered as he fell into the ground, steadily losing consciousness.

The entire tower started shaking, indicating that it was at its limit. The earthen golem that Shibata created saw the building falling apart and in its duty, carried his master to safety.

"Sempai, I told you that I won't carry your sorry carcass back to the base but in the end, you did well." Tobi said as he emerged from the ground. "And it looks like you held up your end of the bargain." In his hands, there was a dusty old scroll that held the Iwa symbol on it.

"Let's go home." The orange-masked nin proceeded to lift Deidara up by his shoulders and disappeared into the night, making haste back to base.

- - -

_Kirigakure no Sato_

Zetsu sighed for the hundredth time as he continued searching the first floor library. With each passing second, he was growing more and more impatient with the search. This man had an endless supply of books and scrolls lying around. It could be days before they locate the scroll.

Just as he was about to reach for the next book, a small explosion occurred, causing him to drop the book. He felt another similar explosion and he sighed. His other half got bored. '_What are you doing?'_

'_**I'm just having a little fun. This place bores me to tears.**__'_ His other half responded. '_**And besides, the man should be killed. I say we hunt the Mizukage down.**__'_

'_No. Our goal is to find and retrieve the hidden scroll.'_

'_**It just happens that I found it. It's a feisty little thing. Having the seal of Kirigakure and all. It must be important if the man had to keep it hidden behind his portrait.**__' _

'_It was hidden behind there?' _Zetsu inquired. _'How did you know to look there? Wait. I don't even want to know.'_

'_**Now that the boring job is out of the way. I'm blowing this joint. You have two minutes to leave the tower and meet me outside. I loaded the entire room with enough exploding tags that would make Itachi-san's Amaterasu look like a small bonfire.**__'_

Zetsu frowned upon hearing his other half's reply. _'If Itachi-san heard what you were saying, he would castrate the both of us. If you're done, let us make haste.'_

'_**I'm already outside.**__'_ His other half answered back, with some humor in his voice.

Zetsu growled as he stepped outside to the balcony and looked down. His other half was standing there, waving with a big grin on his face. '_**Better come down before it blows.**__'_

He leaped over the railing and landed gracefully next to him. "Why are you blowing it up?"

"**Because the man's an insult to losers everywhere. I refuse to let his legacy continue.**"

"What does that have to -"

His other half held up his hand, shushing and demanding silence. "**It's starting.**" A smile appeared on his face. He took out a small piece of paper and wrapped it around a kunai. With expert precision, the kunai lodged itself in the middle of the wall.

Zetsu was about to open his mouth again but an explosion beat him to it. In the place where the office of the Mizukage once stood was now a fireworks display. Fire erupted from the building, causing everything around it to go up in flames as well.

It was pretty impressive. He didn't think that exploding tags could do this much damage. He emitted a low whistle, showing that he was impressed.

"Good job."

"**Thank you.**" Zetsu touched his counterpart on the shoulders and the two joined back into one entity. He held the scroll safely in his palms and carefully examined it. "**The original scroll of the Mizukage. It's so old and fragile. I wonder if there's anything written on it.**"

"Don't." The lighter side replied. "Leader-sama would kill us if we destroyed the scroll."

He could feel his darker side quiver from the mention of their leader and he couldn't help but agree. Pein-sama was a cruel man who didn't tolerate failures. He shuddered to think about what happened to the last person who failed. It was a pretty gruesome sight.

"Let's make haste back to base." The two of them said in unison. Leaving the crumbling tower to fall slowly, the Ataksuki member disappeared into the trees.

- - -

_Sunagakure no Sato_

It was rather unexpected, even impressive to some extent but one thing was for certain, it wasn't amusing. To think that Gaara had the ability to pull something like this off, it made him rethink his entire approach. Maybe he should have just killed him right there and ransacked his office for the scroll.

Itachi scowled at himself as he judged his predicament. Never let yourself be caught off guard. That was his number one rule and he failed miserably. Itachi kept a frown on his face as his Sharingan slowly analyzed the situation. It would seem that the sand is a lot harder than normal and that was probably due to the stored chakra.

He didn't want to resort to this but Gaara didn't leave him with any other choice left. He sighed and closed his eyes, preparing himself.

Gaara was smirking the entire time, his hands slowly controlling the sand. "Breaking into my office I can forgive." He forced even more chakra forward, compressing the barrier even more. "Hiding in my office I'll even forgive."

The Kazekage took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Hell, I'll even overlook the murder attempt but to threaten my wife, just for _that, _I will not forgive you!" He lifted up his hands, as if he was lifting up an invisible tower, a pain-struck look developed on his face as he concentrated. His hands slowly closed themselves into a fist the barrier mimicking the actions

"Die." Gaara whispered as he felt the burden slowly slipping from the corners of his mind. Just as he was about to finalize the attack, he felt a huge chakra spike from inside the sand dome and he intuitively reinforced it with chakra.

Just standing outside, the temperature of the room gradually increased, causing Gaara to sweat. "Why is it so hot in here?" He asked as he felt sweat dripping down his face. His eyes widened as a black spot appeared. Not knowing what that was, he stopped his attack and jumped away. It was pure luck that he managed to escape because if he had stayed a second later, he would've been toast. A line of black fire exploded from his dome, incinerating everything in its path, including his office.

Gaara slightly panted as he watched Itachi slowly emerge from the sand, with that irritating frown on his face.

"Congratulations Gaara. You have done what others could not achieve. You have forced me to use one of my trump cards. Consider yourself lucky." Itachi stated as he took a step forward. Conjuring the Amaterasu was no easy task. It was extremely painful and it took a lot of chakra to maintain. It was a trump card as well as a double edge weapon.

Gaara chuckled slightly. "You should also consider yourself fortunate Uchiha Itachi. You are the first person to break out of that. There will be no more hesitation on my part to kill you, as there will no longer be a second time for you to escape."

"Kill me?" Itachi asked. "You cannot deceive the Sharingan, you fool. I can see your chakra reserves. Quit the dismal effort in trying to cover up your lack of chakra. That attack must have taken a lot out of you."

The kazekage shook his head, "I can say the same for you Uchiha. The Amaterasu drains the user of their chakra. You are in the same boat as I…… but you forget that even without chakra, I can manipulate the sand to my liking. I have the upper hand here. You are within my territory and my ANBU squad is patrolling the area."

"That may be true but you have forgotten something Gaara." Itachi said, raising his finger. "You're not in your world anymore. You're in mine."

The world that Gaara once knew suddenly disappeared, the beige colors of his office slowly melted away, being replaced by a dark shade of red and black.

"What the hell is this?"

"Welcome to my world Kazekage-dono." Itachi answered. "For the next 72 hours, you will be repeatedly stabbed and cut by this katana through the stomach." He saw Gaara struggling against his bindings, which amused him some more. "Don't bother to escape Gaara-kun. This is my world and in here, you will not escape. Let us begin."

Itachi plunged the katana straight into Gaara's stomach, causing the young Kazekage to scream out in pain. "71 hours, 56 minutes left."

"Wait." Gaara cried out, masking the pain behind his firm but shaky voice. "Just wait." Gaara begged.

"No." That was Itachi's answer as he plunged the sword into Gaara's stomach again. "71 hours, 53 minutes left."

"Arghh." Gaara yelled as he felt the weapon twisting inside him. "Th-Th- This is just an illusion. How the hell does it hu- ARGHH"

"71 hrs, 50 minutes left." Itachi's automatic voice answered. "Tsukuyomi is a unique technique only found in those of the Uchiha clan. You cannot hope to break out of this Kazekage-dono. I have you for 71 hrs. Prepare to experience pain like you have never experienced before."

In Gaara's mind, 72 hours passed by excruciating slowly but that was not the true objective of Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan. The purpose of the Mangekyou is to break the victim down, destroying their mental capabilities before physically crippling them. There had not been a person alive who could withstand the full effects of the Tsukuyomi.

Itachi took several slow deep breaths as he felt his headache increasing. "Too much usage of the Mangekyou…" He muttered. Gaara was a tough opponent to crack. His mental abilities exceeded those of normal humans.

Feeling his second wind, Itachi stood up and looked around; searching for the item that he came here for. A metallic safe caught his attraction but as he walked over there, he heard a small grunt coming from Gaara.

"It's… not… over yet." Gaara said as he pushed himself up.

Itachi sighed and ignored him. "I said it's not… over yet!" Gaara shouted.

"Take your defeat like a man Kazekage-dono. I don't want to kill you but if I have to, I will."

"Defeat?" Gaara huffed. "The battle isn't over until there is only one still left standing."

Itachi walked over and stood in front of Gaara. "I admit that you're a tough opponent Sabaku no Gaara, but don't misunderstand me. I am not pitying you. I am allowing you to live so you can see another day. Just tell me where the scroll is."

Gaara hesitated for a moment, before pointing to the metallic box on the shelf. The mental fatigue was finally too great for him, as his hands slowly dropped to the floor along with his body and he was already unconscious by the time he hit the floor.

"I commend you Sabaku no Gaara, for putting up a decent fight. If we met under different circumstances, we might have been brothers in battle. If you live to see another day, search me out so that we can finally settle the score." Itachi whispered. He quickly snatched the scroll from the box and proceeded to leave the room, making haste to leave Suna.

However, his mind kept nagging at him to do something about the still figure currently lying on the ground, and a deep sigh left his lips as he finally conceded to his conscience. He held up one hand and created a Kage Bushin. "Go alert his wife of what happened. After you have done that, disappear." The clone nodded and in a flash, he vanished.

"One day, Gaara, we'll meet again…...and by then, you had better no disappoint me." And with those words, Uchiha Itachi faded away amongst the winds.

- - -

_Kumogakure no Sato_

"What the hell do you mean we have to wait?" Hidan yelled. "Screw that. I wait for no one." He lifted up his scythe and with three quick slashes; the entrance to the Raikage's chamber was shattered into pieces, granting them entrance.

"You dare disrespect us Raikage-dono?" Hidan growled menacingly. "You're lucky that you have a bargaining chip or I'll be killing you as well."

"Hidan." His partner sharply said. "Behave yourself." Kakazu turned to the Raikage and bowed his head slightly. "I apologize for the rude actions from my partner, Raikage-dono."

The Raikage looked slightly frightened but quicly recovered his posture. "Er… It's okay Kakazu-kun."

"Do you have the requested item?"

"Hai." The Raikage pointed to the scroll in front of his desk. "The scroll from Kumo."

The Akatsuki duo looked at the scroll and nodded. Hidan walked up and gently lifted it up. He felt Raikage's gaze eyeing his every move and glared at him annoyingly, "You got a problem with me?" His killing intent oozed out and diffused across the room, making sure the leader of Kumo understood his level of irritation at the moment.

The Raikage never felt more uncomfortable in his entire life. He was stuck in the room with two Akatsuki members and to top it off, these were the two that were rumoured to be immortal. He shook his head nervously, "I gave you the scroll. Now please go."

"Ya know what? I don't like your face." Hidan exclaimed as he tightened his hold on his scythe. "Maybe I should rearrange it."

"We're leaving Hidan." Kakazu sharply said. "We take our leave."

- - -

"Why the hell are we leaving? I could have taken him!" Hidan complained.

"And then what? You would feel good for killing a chunnin?"

Hidan's eyes widened. "A chunnin? Are you telling me that the Raikage fled and left that wimp in his place?"

Kakazu nodded. "It seems like we're going hunting for the Raikage Hidan."

A big smile slowly appeared on Hidan's face, his facial features happily agreeing with his partner's actions. "We'll teach that bastard to run out on us but before we leave, I'm going to leave something behind."

Kakazu sighed, knowing what his partner was intending to do. "Just do it quick. Who knows where the Raikage could have disappeared to."

"With pleasure." Hiden lifted up his scythe and walked up to the Kage Tower, where the office of the Raikage was located in. "Let's see if this will cut stone…"

He raised his weapon and started spinning it around before swinging it forward. By adding the momentum from the centrifugal force, Hidan slashed the building, causing it to split apart from one strike.

Kakazu rolled his eyes as he watched the building split itself into two parts. "Showoff." Muttered the bounty hunter.

"Any leads on where that bastard ran off to?"

"We go west."

"Why west?" Hidan inquired. "How do you know he went west? I say we go east."

"Are you questioning my abilities to track?" Kakazu threatened. "Are you mocking my field of expertise?"

"No, no." Hidan raised his hands up in defense. "I was merely voicing my opinions."

"If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked." Kakazu closed his eyes, feeling the rhythmic beats of his many hearts. He listened for the sounds that were carried by the wind; it was one of those tricks of the trade that he picked up in his early career.

"West… About 3 hours away. We can catch up to him if we hurry now."

"Now you're talking!" Hidan said as he rushed off.

Kakazu nodded and chased after his partner but not before securing the document safely in his compartment. If it were to be destroyed in their hunt, leader-sama would kill them over and over for it.

Even immortals have something to fear for. An eternity of pain. No one wants that.

- - -

_Konohagakure no Sato_

"Are you making empty threats again Uzumaki? You won't kill us. You can't." Koharu said with an overconfident smirk on her face.

"And please enlighten me to the reason why."

"I have something you need, something you want." Koharu snapped her fingers as Homura took out the ancient scroll. "I heard you're searching for this. It would be a shame if this accidentally got destroyed."

Naruto growled under his breath but something didn't make sense. How could they have known what he was after? He narrowed his eyes when the conclusion dawned upon him. There was a spy. There has to be a spy from within the organization that tipped Konoha off.

"So who told you? Obviously you two can't tell a banana from an orange so who helped you?"

Homura coughed, clearing his throat. "Who told us doesn't matter but what does matter is that we will destroy this scroll right here. I cannot stand by and let your kind destroy the world. Evil like you should not be welcomed into this world."

Koharu nodded and began flipping through a small series of hand seals. When she stopped at the tiger seal, Naruto immediately knew what she was planning. Before he could do anything, both Koharu and Homura had their jaws slightly opened and a surprised look on their face. "Why…" They whispered before dropping to the floor.

Naruto caught the scent of blood and his eyes saw the crimson liquid flowing from their bodies. He had a confused look on his face but he ran forward, hoping to get the scroll and leave before he was discovered.

Just as Naruto was about to grab the scroll, something snatched it out of his hands. The figure slowly appeared from the shadows, a huge smirk on the person's face.

"Greetings again Uzumaki."

For the second time today, Naruto was shocked. "Danzo…" He quietly said. "You killed them?"

Danzo scoffed. "They served their purpose. There is nothing more for them except death. Oh, I'm sorry. You wanted to kill them, didn't you?" The warlord innocently asked.

"So instead of two old farts, I get to deal with an even older fart. It doesn't matter to me. I'll kill you this time around."

"I don't think you comprehend the situation. I have the scroll. You need it. You see how this works? You cannot threaten me."

Naruto's attention left the warlord and his eyes fixated themselves on the scroll that was located in Danzo's hands. There was no way he could be fast enough to move over there without Danzo noticing. After several moments of speculating the events, he arrived at a conclusion. "What do you want Danzo?" Naruto finally answered.

"Swear on the grave of the Sandaime that you would forever serve me."

If looks could kill, Danzo would have been dead in an instant. Naruto's reaction was undeniable. He was furious with the man's request and his angry snarl proved it. "You dare ask that of me? I serve no one."

"You will serve me!" Danzo roared. "OBEY ME NOW!" His hands clutching the scroll tightly in his fist.

Naruto wondered if he could summon his blade of wind and slice that hand off but this was Danzo here, the man wasn't senile yet. He may still be the same crippled man but he was still dangerous.

"Well my servant to be? Have you - gah." Danzo suddenly choked on his own words, his breathing became irregular. His eye trailed down to his chest, surprised to see a hand sticking through it.

"I finally found you Danzo."

Naruto stood there, a little shock at the turn of events. First Koharu and Homura tried blackmailing him but ended up dying at Danzo's hands that in turn wanted his absolute loyalty but also ended in his death. Was this just an unlucky cycle for whoever holds onto the scroll?

"Did you think you could escape from these eyes?"

Danzo gasped for air as he tried to form sentences but his strength was rapidly fading. "Uchiha… Sasuke…" He barely got the name out.

Sasuke shoved Danzo forward and revealed himself. He removed his arm from Danzo's chest and watched as the old warlord drop to the ground, taking his final breath.

"Is this what you want Naruto?" Sasuke asked, holding up the scroll.

"Are you going to blackmail me as well?" Naruto asked, rolling his eyes. "That would make you person number 3 or was it person number 4. I don't remember. I lost count after the first one."

Sasuke remained silently as he looked over Naruto's attire. "Akatsuki huh? That's a big step up from being the ANBU Commander."

"What the hell do you want from me Sasuke? You took everything that I had. Power… Respect… Love… Do you want my life as well?"

"I want a fight." Sasuke answered, his eyes staring at Naruto as if they were measuring his abilities.

"A fight?" Naruto asked with surprise, "Why a fight?"

"Have you ever wondered why I testified against you? We both knew that you were innocent." Sasuke answered with his own question.

Naruto remained speechless, showing nothing but an emotionless mask. "Enlighten me Sasuke."

"For power Naruto. For power. You had it all and I wanted it all. Shinrei offered me the chance to achieve great power and all I had to do was to testify against you in court."

"Shinrei?"

Sasuke shrugged. "He is not important right now. I'll say one thing Naruto. I have improved."

"Just give me the scroll and stop wasting my time. You know you can't beat me."

"Fine then. Here." Sasuke toss the scroll towards his old teammate but before Naruto could get a hold on it, Sasuke vanished from his spot and greeted Naruto with a fist to the face.

Naruto felt Sasuke's fist connecting with his jaw as he crashed into the wall. He narrowed his eyes and growled. "You were never the brightest one Sasuke. Crying over this, crying over that. I never saw Itachi cry once about slaughtering your twisted clan!" He angrily said.

"You work with Itachi?" Sasuke darkly asked. "Well this is pretty convenient then. If I beat you, that means I'm one step closer to beating Itachi."

Naruto laughed. "You? Beat Itachi? The man is the genius of all geniuses. There is no way a wimp like you can hope to beat him."

"I DARE YOU TO SAY IT AGAIN." Sasuke roared. Naruto shushin-ed from his spot and went for a karate chop but before his blow connected, Sasuke disappeared in smoke.

"Bunshin?" Naruto pondered. "If that was a bunshin… then…"

"Chidori!" Sasuke yelled out as Naruto quickly looked up. Sasuke growled angrily when he saw the blond's hand tightly gripping his wrist, stopping his attack from connecting.

"Your moves are boring. Why don't you try something new?" Naruto said in an uninterested tone.

Sasuke pulled his wrist down and smirked. "Right hand Chidori."

Naruto's eyes widened when he heard the name of the technique. Watching his ex-teammate form the Chidori without any hand seals definitely caught him by surprise.

He gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself from screaming as Sasuke impaled his right hand through his shoulder.

"How's that for interesting dobe?" Sasuke asked, sarcasm written in his voice. The Uchiha then began pushing Naruto, slamming him against it. With his left hand free, he waved it nonchalantly in his face.

"The right hand symbolizes respect while the left hand symbolizes glory. I respect you enough to acknowledge your power Naruto and now with my left hand, I shall be victorious!"

Naruto chuckled as he spat out a little blood. "Foolish little Sasuke. You have yet to understand the powers that bind us to this pitiful place. Until you realize that your world is nothing compares to others, you will never win."

"You…" Sasuke's sharingan rapidly began spinning. "Why is your chakra moving like this? What the hell are you doing Naruto?"

"You wanted power so badly Sasuke. Let me show you what power really is!"

- - -

"Tsunade-sama… Are you sure you can be sitting here like this?" Shizune half-heartedly protested. "What would the council say?"

"To hell with them!" Tsunade loudly answered. "If they don't like it, they can go… do something…" Tsunade took another sip from her sake and happily sighed. "There's nothing like a good cup of sake right… Jiraiya?"

The Toad Sannin merely grinned and nodded. "You bet your boobs that you're right Tsunade-hime."

Shizune sat in the booth watching the two talk back and forth. This was the first time in months that Jiraiya came back to visit and it wasn't on happier terms. "Jiraiya… What are we going to do if Akatsuki succeed with their plans?"

"Nothing!" Jiraiya laughed in his drunken state. "Tsunade-hime hid the scroll before we left. There is no way they can get their hands on it but if they did, it would mean the end of the world anyway!"

"Hear hear!" Tsunade joined in. The two held their sake saucers up cheered. "To the good life!"

"To the women at the hot springs!"

The two broke out in laughter as they chugged another bottle of sake. Laughing away their worries and reminiscing like old teammates.

"You two are embarrassing me…" Shizune quietly muttered as she slowly sank into her seat, wishing that she could just disappear.

- - -

Instead of a calm, happy night, a loud explosion occurred, causing panic to spread throughout the village. The outburst occurred near the location of the Hokage Tower, more specifically, the roof of it.

Sasuke panted slightly as he stood on top of the broken roof.

Naruto, on the other hand, stood there as if nothing happened at all. "Give me the scroll and I promise that I won't beat you so badly."

"Over my dead body dobe."

"That can be arranged teme."

Sasuke removed the Kusanagi from its sheath and slowly walked around. Naruto took notice of the weapon and produced several kunai from his weapon pouch. The two slowly circled around each other before attacking.

Naruto took the initiative and threw the kunai while leaping in the air. Sasuke saw the attack coming and instead of blocking with his sword, he held up his left hand and smirked. "Pathetic." His hand slowly began to glow and take the shape of senbon needles, which he then threw with pinpoint accuracy, effectively cutting the kunai in half. However, his eyes widened when he noticed that there were exploding tags wrapped around them.

Sasuke jumped aside, avoiding the exploding tags only to find Naruto coming at him with a huge Rasengan in his hands. In his eyes, he saw that he couldn't dodge the attack in time, so he braced for impact.

"Oodama Rasengan!"

Naruto shoved the attack into Sasuke, thinking that the match was over until he felt something moving afterwards. Something huge came through the smoke, smacking him in the face. Naruto did a back flip in the air and landed on his feet, his eyes never leaving the image in front of him.

"Finally… it comes out." Naruto stated. "I was wondering when I would be seeing it. The second level of your Cursed Seal."

"_**Shut it dobe or I'll close it for you…**_" Sasuke growled. In an instant, the two disappeared, exchanging blows that surpassed all limits. Blow for blow, it was countered and the force of the blows caused several small gusts of wind to stir.

Sasuke grunted as he blocked a hard left punch from Naruto but when he went to counter, the blond never took his left hand off Sasuke's foot, swing the Uchiha around like a doll.

Naruto grinned as he tossed Sasuke to the ground, enjoying the battle fully. "Come on teme-chan. Let's take it up a step." Naruto taunted.

Sasuke immediately pushed himself off the ground and performed a series of hand seals.

"_**Katon : Gokakyu no Jutsu**_"

Sasuke held his fingers to his lips as a fireball the size of a meteor came out. Instead of the orange color flame, a dark blue flame was produced. As the jutsu came closer, Naruto could feel the intense heat radiating from the technique.

Taking a mental note to avoid being hit by any future Katon techniques, he jumped out of the way. "Come at me with your scary level two form teme-chan. I want to see the power that Orochimaru-yaro gave you first hand."

"This is true power Naruto. Not the bullshit demon power that you have." Sasuke stretched his shoulders back, causing the giant wing-like hands to begin flapping. "This is what true power has granted me: the power of flight."

Sasuke leaped into the air and took out something from his back pocket. Naruto stood his ground as he pondered his next move.

Sasuke took this as an opportunity to finish Naruto once and for all. The object that he removed from his back pocket was nothing but wire. He smirked as he tied it around several pairs of kunai. Naruto was going to be the demonstration of the expression 'Going out with a bang.'

The Uchiha dived towards Naruto, his hands holding onto several kunai. Just as he was about to throw the projectiles, Naruto appeared in front of him with a boot to the face. Sasuke hit the floor hard but that didn't stop Naruto from continuing the assault. His sharingan flared when he recognized the blade in Naruto's hand.

"Fool. You can't cut me -" Before Sasuke could finish that sentence, he felt a sharp pain eliciting from his back and realized what happened. He immediately retracted the curse seal and dropped to the ground, the pain unbearable for him.

"How…" The Uchiha angrily asked. "How did you cut me?"

"Wind is not just a defensive element you naïve fool. I have the ability to make the wind so sharp that it can cut through even diamond. The next thing I'm slicing off is your head." Naruto held up the sword as Sasuke stood there, too shocked to move. "This is goodbye forever…" Just as Naruto was about to bring down the sword, something shifted in the wind.

Naruto looked around and sighed. "Sasuke…" Not taking the time to let Sasuke answer, Naruto began making a small circular motion with his right hand.

"Be gone teme."

Sasuke didn't have any time to react when he saw Naruto's fist come in contact with his chest. He didn't know what hit him. At first, it felt like ice but that quickly turned to shock when he suddenly vomited blood. A huge amount of wind exploded through his back, causing everything he had to scatter on the ground.

Kunai, keys, exploding tags, wire and the scroll.

Naruto saw the scroll fly into the air and flipped Sasuke over, slamming him into the ground. With a small leap, Naruto caught the scroll with ease and looked it over. "All this trouble for a piece of paper…" He muttered.

He turned his head to look at Sasuke one last time before disappearing. On the other hand, Sasuke felt his world come crashing down the moment Naruto cut his wing. His ears picked up the faint sound of people coming closer and hesitantly, he picked himself up. Gathering his possessions, he disappeared as well.

- - -

"Kakashi-sensei, what happened here?" Sakura asked as she surveyed the damaged rooftop.

"Hm…" The cycloptic ninja walked around as if he was looking for something. Noticing that something was off, he lifted up his hitai-ate. With the Sharingan now out, he could see the small visible trails of Chakra and there were so many scents in the area. The smell of blood was also strong here.

"A battle occurred and it was probably a big one." His eyes widened when he recognized a couple of the scents. "They - he - was here…" His voice shaking. "He was definitely here."

"Who?"

"Naruto…"

- - -

Just on the other side of walls that separate the world from Konoha, Naruto had his back leaning towards the wall, busily trying to fix the wound on his shoulder.

"Damn Kyuubi and his idiotic ways. My mistake so fix it yourself the furball says. Stupid demon. If he were real, I would show him a thing or two…"

Unknown to him, a figure was slowly watching him from the dark, deciding if it was a good idea or not. When the figure heard Naruto muttering to himself, there was nothing left but to go ahead as planned.

The figure held two fingers together in a triangular form and sighed. "Here goes nothing…"

Naruto stopped applying bandages when his keen sense of hearing picked up some whispering. He looked around cautiously and shrugged it off. The next thing he knew, he was falling backwards and the last words that he heard were…

"Shinranshin no Jutsu."

* * *

Finally the plot is coming together. Never again am I doing multiple fight scenes all in one chapter. I fried my brains out trying to be unique. Anyway, I'm kind of slow with the updates but I should be picking up the pace soon.


	12. The Revelation

I'm a little confused about the new additions they did to fanfiction concerning the document option but no matter. I have finished the latest chapter and it's all thanks to my beta, couldn't have done this without you Weixuan. Props!

* * *

"Where… am… I?"

Ino Yamanaka slowly scanned the dark and damped place, confused about her whereabouts. She was sure her jutsu reached her target… but this place was different from the rest. In fact, it felt different.

Usually when she entered her target's mind, there were objects inside the mindscape that resembled the owner. Like for example, during her first Chunnin Exam when she entered Sakura's mind, the girl's mindscape was filled with an unhealthy obsession with Uchiha Sasuke. The rooms in there were decorated with his picture on every door and the color was just horrid. She never thought she would live to see pink doors. Even though the place was a mess, there was a warm feeling to it.

Each person's mind is different. She understood that but there was always that warm sense of feeling whenever she entered another person's mind. People claimed that the mind is a powerful weapon and a sacred place and Ino knew that but for the first time in her life, she encountered Naruto's mind, and it was completely different. She didn't know what to do in it. There were so many different paths that could lead to different places and she couldn't help shake off the cold eerie feeling that came with it.

Sounds of water dripping echoed through the hallow hallways. "Great mess you got yourself into Ino…" She said as she started walking around. Her father always told her that if she entered a mind and got lost, just follow the memories. It was amazing how her father's words managed to stay with her to this day.

Memories were kept hidden behind closed doors, a precautionary measurement devised by the brain so that it could store and process them easier. In Naruto's mind, that wasn't the problem. The problem was finding the right path to the right door.

"Left or right…" She asked herself. Looking to her left, the hallway was filled with water while the right path was dry and sturdy. Deciding to take the dry path, she started walking slowly, taking her time to study her environment. When Ino took her fifth step into the right corridor, the floor suddenly gave out and she intuitively jumped off, barely making it back. Her eyes widened as she watched the entire right hallway disappear before her eyes.

"Mental traps…" She muttered as she picked herself up. Ino sighed as she turned back around, cringing as she thought about the left corridor, the only path left open to her. The nasty water and the dark place didn't exactly appeal to her but she entered his mind for a reason. She wasn't going to back out now.

"Why does Naruto have mental traps in his head?" She wondered out loud. They weren't commonly used in a person's mind. Moreover, there were only a handful of people who could use them correctly and if they could, they were most likely masters of the mind like her clan.

Sucking in her pride as a woman, she entered the left corridor. Ino decided to take it slow, seeing as how the right corridor was booby-trapped and if a person like herself were caught inside one of those, it would be the end for her. While she was just a spirit inside another person's mind, whatever damage she sustained in here will affect her physical body out there. Therefore, if she died in Naruto's mind… she would die out there…

Ino's eyes wandered around the area, grayish doors all over the area. "This must be where his memories lie…" The grayish doors reminded her of a depressing place and it was then that she knew. Naruto wasn't the Kyuubi…

All her life, she was taught that the Kyuubi was a legendary demon who lived to torture and kill humans. She was taught that the Yondaime Hokage sacrificed his life to defeat the Kyuubi so Konoha can live in peaceful times. She was taught that Uzumaki Naruto was a dangerous child, someone who she should stay away from. Being the good girl that she was, she obeyed her elders and stayed away from the child called Uzumaki Naruto. Her parents told her stories of what this Uzumaki Naruto was capable off and it frightened her. Stories of mischief and dangerous adventures, it was enough to scare her to stay away.

As she grew older, those stories caused her distancing of Uzumaki Naruto while they were still in the academy. Just by seeing the legendary child that her parents told her about, she made her own decisions and agreed with them. Seeing him day after day wearing nothing but the same hideous orange jumpsuit, her opinions about him didn't change.

_'Still the same dangerous child.'_

Her opinions stayed the same as they grew older, only greeting him when it was deemed necessary.

Not once did she question why everyone hated Naruto and it didn't bother her much. The only thing she thought about was getting one Uchiha Sasuke for herself and competing with Sakura for everything.

Clothes…

Reputation…

Boys…

As she went up the ranks in her ninja career, she became distant acquaintances with Naruto. Sure she had done missions with the man but that was with a team only. She never went alone with him and the council, including her father, saw to that.

It was on that fateful day that she found out why Naruto was called the legendary child. It was on that day she found out why they all hated Naruto. The villagers called it The Cleansing, seeing as how it was on that day Naruto's biggest secret was revealed to the entire village and his exile.

She still remembered the words she said that day. The hateful words that entered her mind when Danzo announced the truth to everyone. _'Demon scum…'_ Those two words that caused her to bring back up the memories of her childhood. The hatred that she learned from the older generation. It wasn't until a few months later when she soon regretted her actions…

Ino's hands trembled as they approached the first door. She didn't know if the door was another mind trap or some sort of repressed memory. Just when her trembling hands reached the doorknob, her body tensed, waiting for something to happen. When nothing happened, she released the breath she was holding in. As she slowly opened the door, a bright white light escaped from the room, blinding her in the process. She felt an invisible force surround her body as it sucked her in, the door quickly shutting itself from behind.

- - -

The bright light soon subdued after awhile, temporarily distorting her vision.When it finally came back, she noticed that the environment was different. She wasn't in his mind anymore. She wasn't even sure where she was.

'_Where am I now?'_ She thought as she tried to get her bearings straight. It looked like a small area that vaguely resembled Konoha but the area was different. She then saw a group of men with some torches coming towards her.

'_Great. Maybe they can help me.'_ Just as she was about to speak, she noticed her arms rising and it was then she noticed that she had some small arms. The next thing Ino knew, she was running for her life. She didn't know why but the body ran away from the group, almost as if it was afraid of them. She tried to make it stop but it wasn't listening. It just kept running and running until it ended in a blind alley, a dead end.

She could hear the heavy panting as the sounds of grown men appeared at the entrance of the alleyway. The men approached slowly with a hint of malicious intentions written across their face.

'_Wait! Stop! I'm Ino-'_ She noticed that while she was thinking the words out, there was no sound coming out. No matter how hard she tried, nothing was coming out.

"Heh. The demon finally got trapped." One of the men said, smirking as he cracked his knuckles.

"Let us make this slow and painful Keno." Another man said.

'_Demon?'_ It was then she realized that she was literally inside of Naruto. This was a memory and she was reliving it. This was a new experience for her. Whenever she saw another person's memory, she was usually in her own body, in control of her movements but in here, she was stuck inside of Naruto's body.

"Please…"A small broken voice cried out. "No more…" It had to be Naruto's, Ino assumed. _'Probably when he was younger'_.

"Today… you die." The man's cold tone of voice sent shivers up Ino's spine. She could tell this man was serious and she knew what they were going to do. It didn't take a genius like Shikamaru to figure out what he was about to do.

Every punch the man threw, every kick, every cut, every bruise the group inflicted upon Naruto, she felt it. She didn't know how but she felt it. The cold hated glares that the group gave him, she felt it. When the group was finally done with him, the leader slammed Naruto against the wall before leaving him to drown in a pool of his own blood.

Ino felt powerless as she heard the small whimpering sounds coming from Naruto. The tears of a bloody and beaten boy cried as he lay on the ground, unable to move. How she wanted to just leave this body and hold the young boy in her arms, telling him that she was so sorry.

Without warning, Ino felt something tugging on her body. The next thing she knew, she was forcefully ejected from the room, finding herself back in the cold and depressing hallway. "Oh Naruto…" She muttered to herself as wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself tightly. Those earlier images were still fresh in her mind and it will probably be there for a while.

Ino looked further down the hallway, both sides of the wall filled with an endless supply of doors. They were probably childhood memories and she shuddered at what the next door would hold. Whatever she experienced in there was more than enough to last her an entire lifetime.

"Should I just leave now or… No." Ino shook her head, disagreeing with those thoughts. "I will continue on."

- - -

"What do you mean the scrolls are gone?" Tsunade screamed as a petrified chunnin trembled in fear. The Godaime Hokage slammed her fist against the wall of the restaurant, causing the entire thing to collapse from the sheer power emitted. "Who the bloody hell took it?" She yelled out.

"I-I-I dooon-don't k-knn-know Hoo-Hookage-sama." Tsunade gritted her teeth as her eyes flared with anger. She was about to lash out again when Jiraiya quickly intervened.

"Hurry, we must go." The Toad Hermit stated, urgency detected in his voice. "We must retrieve it before the intruder leaves the village."

"Where the hell do we start looking?"

"The Hokage Tower."

With a quick nod, Tsunade threw the chunnin aside and the two disappeared from the restaurant.

- - -

After exploring several other doors, Ino couldn't take it anymore. She was hating herself more and more as she witnessed more of Naruto's memories. Beatings and spiteful glares from villagers, ignorance and bullying from older children. It was enough to make her vomit from the disgusting things that she seen. Deciding to skip the next set of doors, she walked further down the path. Her original goal for coming into his mind was to confront him and unfortunately, she got more than she bargained for.

After skipping the next thirty doors or so, she found herself stopping at some random door. She didn't know what to expect so she slowly opened the door and just like the other doors, a bright white light blinded her as she felt herself being dragged inside.

Instead of finding herself trapped in Naruto's body like the other times, she was floating in the sky. Ino glanced around the area. She wasn't in Konoha anymore, that much was certain. It looked more like the forest area and she spied two statues by a waterfall. As she flew closer to get a closer look, her eyes widened in shock as she noticed the destruction surround the area. The ground was destroyed and parts of the statue was chipped and cracked.

"SASUKE!" That was Naruto's voice that screamed out the Uchiha's name. She quickly turned towards the direction to see what he was yelling about and to her shock, she saw Naruto surrounded by an orange aura which she deduced to be the Kyuubi's chakra.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke snarled back as Ino turned her head in the other direction. She let out startled gasped as she saw Sasuke with huge claw-like wings on his back but what's more was that his usual pale complexion was now dark and gray.

Realization soon hit Ino as she looked up at the statues, recognizing them. "Oh my god… This is the fight between Naruto and Sasuke during their younger days. This was the fight that Shikamaru told me about. The fight that occurred at the Valley of the End…"

"CHIDORI"

"RASENGAN"

The roars of the two mighty techniques caused Ino to turn her attention back to the fight. She saw Naruto and Sasuke leaping into the air, the attacks glowing on each of their arms.

"NARUTOOO!" Ino screamed as she flew towards the fight, hoping to stop their battle in time. As she dashed towards them, she watched in horror as the final battle took place in front of her eyes. Sasuke's Chidori went head to head with Naruto's Rasengan. The two techniques battled it out for dominance. She watched on helplessly as Sasuke's technique slowly overpowered Naruto's, a huge smirk on the Uchiha's face as he went in for the final push.

"Oh my god…" She clasped her hands to her mouth as Sasuke impaled the Chidori through Naruto's chest. "Why Naruto… WHY?" She screamed out as tears dripped down from her face. While she was preoccupied, she missed the small words from Sasuke.

"Why dobe…?"

"Because I made a promise…" Naruto responded. Ino looked up, seeing a smile on the blond's face as blood dripped from his mouth.

"This has to be a fabrication of the truth… This has to be a LIE!" Ino yelled out. "Sasuke never impaled his arm through Naruto's chest. The reports never stated that. Shikamaru never mentioned that part to me! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

Ino slammed her fist on the ground as Sasuke yanked his arm out. "… Naruto kept it to himself… he lied to us. The bastard lied to us!"

Rain soon began to fell from the heavens, almost a sign from the gods that they too were sad about this battle. Ino wept in silence as she watched Sasuke's hitai-ate dropped from his head, falling next to Naruto.

"Why…" Ino asked before the familiar feeling engulfed her body, throwing her out of the memory once more.

- - -

"What the hell happened here Kakashi?" Tsunade immediately asked when she arrived at her office. The Godaime Hokage expected to find her office still in one piece but to her surprise, she was not only greeted with one surprise but two. The first surprise was that her office was no longer an office and she now had a sky window the size of a one room apartment. The second surprise was that three of Konoha's most respected members of the council were found dead in her office.

"You better tell me something Kakashi!" The woman threatened.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders as he looked around. "To be frank Hokage-sama, whatever you see is whatever you get."

Jiraiya chuckled as he folded his arms. He whistled at the amount of destruction that was laid before him. You had to admit, this was indeed a humorous thing. A quick glare from Tsunade silenced the man. He knew she was angry, but he just didn't know how pissed she was.

"Who did this?"

Kakashi cringed at the question. That was one thing he didn't want to answer. "Uh… well it was like this… uh… Sakura?"

He quickly dragged Sakura into the picture, shoving her into Tsunade's face. "Sakura will explain it."

"When we got to your office Shishou, the place was already ruined and destroyed. Pakkun detected a faint chakra trail that belonged to one _Uzumaki Naruto_." Sakura answered with disgust as she put emphasis on the name of the perpetrator.

"Naruto was here?" Tsunade and Jiraiya both asked. "What the hell was he doing here?"

She shrugged. "There were bodies lying all over the hallway, all of them belonging to ANBU. My guess is that whatever he was here for, it had to be something big."

"Uh… yes... Thank you for the report but you're dismissed now Sakura."

Sakura bowed her head and left. Tsunade waited until Sakura disappeared before turning to Kakashi. "Who else was involved?"

"Uchiha Sasuke." The cyloptic ninja responded. His Sharingan was steadily analyzing the chakra residue left behind from the two fighters.

Tsunade sighed. "Go fetch your former student Kakashi and make sure he comes in escorted by ANBU. He doesn't leave the village. Do you hear me?"

"Hai."

Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving a worried Tsunade alone on the rooftop. "What does he want with the scroll?" She asked.

Jiraiya walked on over, putting his hand on her shoulder. "They want one thing and one thing only. The destruction and salvation."

- - -

After that last memory, Ino strolled around in the hallway, her thoughts occupied with Naruto. She couldn't understand how Naruto survived that encounter. From what she saw, it looked like Sasuke pierced through one of his lungs and he walked away with a scratch. Did the Kyuubi provide some sort of advanced bloodline that made Naruto immune to death?

She didn't know the answer to that but she did know one person who did. While she was in her own little world, she unconsciously walked past the next twenty doors. She figured one more memory wouldn't hurt but knowing her luck so far, these were probably all painful memories for Naruto.

She prepared herself as she opened another door, mentally shielding her eyes from the white lights. Once those lights died out, she looked around, wondering when and where she was. From her perspective, it looks like she was standing above that ramen stand that Naruto hangs around.

She watched as Naruto sat there eating ramen, happily chatting away with the owner but this Naruto was older. An explosion suddenly occurred, causing everything in the area to feel the aftershock. Ino's eyes widened when she realized that this memory took place just before the hospital explosion. She quickly looked down as Naruto tended to a fallen man and then looked up, seeing the building go up in flames.

"Naruto was innocent…" Her words came out like a whisper. "He was innocent." Those words kept repeating themselves in her mind. She couldn't believe it. Naruto was right, he didn't do it.

"Hey! Get your hands off him." Naruto angrily shouted as he shoved several ANBU out of the way.

She watched the interaction between Naruto and several ANBU, noticing that Naruto's eyes turned colder with each passing second. By the end of their conversation, his eyes showed no emotion, only a piercing stare that even made her flinch.

"You don't deserve to be ANBU. Your captain would be crying right now." She heard him speak. '_Oh that's right. Naruto was the ANBU Captain.'_ She thought. She winced as she watched how Naruto brutally dealt with the ANBU squad. Deciding that she had seen enough, she ejected herself from the memory, returning back to the hallway.

Her mind was still shaking from the information that she saw. She had enough information to prove that Naruto didn't commit the crime but just how was she going to convince Naruto to come back. Hell, he was probably angry that she invaded his mind. She shivered to think about what he would to do her if he ever found out.

"What do you mean you can't tell me anything you blasted furball?" An angry voice shouted as the echo reached Ino's ears. There shouldn't be anyone else in here but her. It would be dangerous for two mind walkers to enter one mind at once. Naruto could suffer some permanent damage to his mind if the person decided to take his revenge on him.

Walking as quietly as she could through the hallway, she found herself at the entrance to a huge room. As she leaned forward, she could only see the back of the man's head, his cloak blocking everything.

"I want to know what the hell is going on. This is MY body if you don't remember." The man said.

"**QUIET you stupid whelp. This may be your body but I am the lord of the demons. Do not forget your place."** A deep voice roared back.

The man sighed as he folded his arms. A deep chuckle was heard simultaneously.

"Come out Yamanaka."

"**Come out mind walker."**

Her heart jumped a few stories when the two voices called out her name. They knew she was there. Ino thought about her options here. She could go out there and face the music or they could come to her and kill her. Deciding that the first choice was probably the best choice, she slowly walked out, determined to let this man know that she was in charged.

"Who the hell are -" Ino stopped in the middle of her question when the man turned around, an annoyed expression on his face. "Na-a-Naruto."

"Did you have fun going through my memories?" Naruto coldly asked. "I certainly didn't."

Ino remained speechless, unsure about what to say to this man. He wasn't even supposed to be here. It was only suppose to be her walking through his mind at her own pace but somehow, her plans always got messed up.

Before she knew it, she found herself being slammed into the wall, opposite of the cage. "I will give you to the count of three to get out of here Ino. You invaded my privacy and saw some very personal memories. Be lucky that I don't feed you to him."

"…Him?" Ino asked. Sure, she could have asked some other better questions but due to the uniqueness of her situation, that was the only thing she could get out.

Naruto pointed his finger towards the cage. "Kyuubi."

"**For the first time whelp, you're finally making sense. Feed her to me. I can't wait to taste another mind walker."**

Ino hastily shook her head, disagreeing with the whole idea. She reached up and tried to break free of Naruto's iron grip but his hold over her was strong. "Please Naruto… I can explain." _I hope._ She could see his cold eyes staring into her, as if he was weighting the decision.

"Fine." He slowly replied. "But if I don't like your answer, I'm feeding you to Kyuubi."

Ino gulped as Naruto released her. She watched as he retreated back to the other side, leaning in front of the cage. She saw the huge devious smile on the demon's face as it appeared by the bars.

"Uh well… Just for the record… I'm not here to kill you or anything." That earned a snort from Naruto. "I just want your forgiveness."

"That's it? You come all the way here just so you can ask that? Are you stupid?" He shot back. "Do I look like some kind of church? I can't even set foot into a goddamn church."

"I know what we did to you were wrong…" Ino plead.

"Wrong? Wrong? You pitiful fools do not even know the first mistake of being wrong." Naruto shook his head in disappointment. Talking with her was bringing back bad memories. "I'm sure you saw my memories. Those daily beatings. Those daily harassments. Did I once take revenge?" He dryly asked. He wanted her to take a guess. He wanted her to understand one thing while she was here. He wanted her to understand that there was no way in hell he was going to forgive them.

"…no…" Ino quietly mumbled.

"That's right no. I never once fought back. I never once thought of getting revenge and do you know why?"

Again, the girl shook her head. "Because I thought they would change. I thought for sure they would at least acknowledge me when I became a ninja but what did I know. These were ignorant people who were incapable of change. I even declared myself to become the next Hokage in order for them to like me but look at where that got me. A freaking chase around the village by several ANBU."

At this point, Naruto chuckled. "This village… has lived to its peak of existence. There is nothing more for it but destruction… I will be the one to bring judgment to this village."

Judgment? Was Naruto seriously talking about revenge here? What happened to the boy who wanted to become Hokage. Ino felt helpless as she stared at the man standing before her. His cold piercing eyes, his chiseling face and his twisted logic. As much as Konoha meant to her, she couldn't let it fall to the grounds.

"Wait Naruto… I'm sure there's a better way. Maybe…"

"No." The man sharply replied. "Nothing they do or say will change my mind. They can all bow to me and it still wouldn't matter. All that matters is revenge."

Okay, that was it. Ino had enough of him going emotional on her. He was reminding her too much of Sasuke. She watched as Naruto continued on, ranting about how he was going to destroy the village and everyone in it until she had enough and just slapped him across the face, shocked expressions showing up on both of their faces.

"What the hell was that Yamanaka?"

"Uh…" She really couldn't find anything to tell him. Hell, she didn't even know why she slapped him. "Sorry." Ino apologized. "You reminded me of Sasuke."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, now interested at her analysis. "I remind you of Sasuke? That self-centered egoistical son of a bitch teme?"

"Well... you did for a second."

Even for a ninja of his caliber, Naruto took a second to massage his swollen cheek. No matter how strong a woman was, a slap was a slap and it stung like hell. He sighed as his thoughts reflected back to their earlier conversation. "Maybe I did overact a bit…" He muttered to himself.

He casually glanced at Ino, whose attention was now focused at Kyuubi. She didn't look scared of the beast. In fact, she wasn't even intimidated. She had a look of curiosity in her eyes, like a six year old girl who wandered into a room full of books. Maybe she was different from the rest, different from them.

"Yamanaka." Naruto called out.

Hearing her name, Ino stuck her tongue out at Kyuubi, infuriating the beast some more before turning around towards Naruto.

"Get out of my mind and disappear."

"Disappear?"

"There will come a time where I will see you again and when that time comes, I will not hesitate to kill you."

"But -"

"I wasn't done." Naruto replied, holding his hand up. "If you were to disappear from Konoha and prove to me that you actually want to seek my forgiveness, I will reconsider your offer."

"Hm…" Ino curiously started walking around Naruto, circling him as she was inspecting something. "I don't know…"

Naruto stood there, his eyes following her meaningless actions. "What are you doing Yamanaka?"

Ino held a finger to her chin while she continued circling Naruto. "I still don't know why you saved me Naruto. You remember that day right? You saved me from Sasuke and released me as prisoner. I'm just curious to know why you did that."

"I needed a hostage and as much as I hated Sakura, I did not want her as a hostage. Kill her maybe but hostage no."

"Are you sure there's nothing mooore?" Ino asked. If she worked her charm right, maybe she can get deeper into Naruto's head, see what makes him tick. The handsome man standing in front of her was just a mystery, unknown to the world. "Are you sure you didn't just save me to keep me for yourself?"

Her question caught Naruto off guard. She knew it and she could see that he knew it too. Score one for womankind! She smiled secretly as she awaited his answer.

"I saw that killing you would have no effect on Konoha. Killing someone like Sasuke or Sakura might have an impact but you, on the other hand, do not have the worth needed to impact Konoha." The man replied.

Ino's eyes went up in flames as she took his words to heart. "WHAT DID -" Watching the man in front of her smirk, she calmed herself down. She was a lady and she was going to act like one. No matter how big of a jerk the guy was. "I mean you're wrong. I'm from a specialized clan. We're masters of the mind."

"The mind is a weak place if the person is caught off guard."

Ino gritted her teeth as Naruto continued to throw off insults. "A person's mind is only as strong as the person itself. If he or she is weak in spirit, the mind will be easily crushed."

"Enough!" The Yamanaka heir yelled out. He won her little game and he was just rubbing it in her face. "You made your point. I will take you up on your offer Naruto but how will you find me?"

Naruto then chuckled at Ino's expense. "Don't worry about that... Just leave it to me..."

- - -

"Do you hear that Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked, his head turning to locate the source of that ringing.

"Hear what?" The Godaime Hokage yelled from across the wing. "I didn't hear any ringing."

"Wait. Shush for a second." The Toad Sannin walked towards the small sound, the ringing originating from behind a destroyed bookshelf. With one move, Jiraiya tossed the bookshelf across the room, locating the source. "What is this Tsunade?"

"Let me see."

Jiraiya threw the object to Tsunade who caught it with ease. Her eyes widened as she held it up to her eyes. Seeing his teammate lost in a trance like state, Jiraiya got annoyed with being ignored. "Well?" He asked.

"It's the calling…" Tsunade slowly answered.

"The calling? What is that?"

"The calling of the Kages…"

* * *

Author's Note: Uhoh, looks like things are starting to pick up. Wonder what's in store for our heroes now.


	13. The Discovery

If you been keeping up with the recent chapters of the Naruto Manga, you may have guessed what's going on and I just wanted to point out that I was RIGHT haha when I made that prediction back in chapter 6 or so. Man I hate it when I get things correct but like what people say in show business, the show must go on.

Thank you readers and reviewers, your reviews were awesome. Without further ado, here's the latest chapter.

* * *

"The calling of the Kages? What a lame title. There were so many other better names out there you could've used…"

"Jiraiya." Tsunade sharply said. "I didn't name it, just sit down and you must never, EVER speak about the things I'm about to tell you to anybody."

Jiraiya merely nodded his head as he sat down but not before noticing that his former teammate was acting very peculiar. He could actually count the number of times when Tsunade was actually serious on one hand. It took a lot for her to actually become serious but when she did, it usually meant trouble. Her demeanor had also changed dramatically ever since he found that coin.

But what was so special about that coin?

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes as he tried to analyze the silver object. When he touched it, it felt like a regular coin but to have it emit a low pitch sound took a Fuinjutsu master to do it. To go through all that trouble with one small coin is not an easy task.

"This story goes back to the time when the first five major villages were formed. The Shodai Kage of each village, as much as they hated each other, devised a method of contacting other Kage in time of dire trouble. The debate went on for days, discussing things about what the sign would be and what kind of trouble was required in order for this to happen. In the end, they decided that the only ones who would know about this system were the Kage and their successors. The signal was a small ringing sound emitted from this very coin."

"That coin?" Jiraiya snorted in disbelief. "If you're pulling my leg here…"

"This is the second time in history that it rang. The first time was when a powerful and ancient demon was unleashed into this world, threatening to destroy it. It took the combined powers of all the Kage to defeat it and return it back to the demonic plane. Sarutobi-sensei mentioned the story in the scroll that he left behind for me, the one locked inside of a secret safe."

The two teammates sat there in the rubble of the destroyed room, staring at the coin. They could hear the quiet sounds of something ringing…

"What now?" The Toad Sannin asked. "We aren't exactly on the best of terms with other Kage."

"It doesn't matter." Tsunade responded. "They know what must be done and we must all heed the call, no matter what."

"As long as you're sure Tsunade… As long as you're sure…"

- - -

"Where are we going?" Ino asked for the umpteenth time. When she received nothing back, she gritted her teeth in frustration. "What the hell Naruto! I agreed to go with you but not when you're leaving me in the dark. This is bullshit!"

She glared at her partner, giving him the coldest, darkest look she could muster but after deciding that he was the strong silent type, she was at a loss.

"I give up!" Ino sighed. "Even Shino is a better conversationalist than you!"

"And I care because?"

Ino's eyes lit up happily when she finally heard his voice for the first time in two hours. She didn't care if he just insulted her or threatened her, anything was better than walking in silence. "You can talk!"

Naruto closed his mouth once more, wishing that he had kept silent. From the start of this trip, he knew he was in for something way over his head but he just didn't know for what. The answer hit him like a ton of bricks when he was bombarded with non-stopped questions.

"… I enjoy the silence…"

"But come on! Communication is the key to building a strong relationship."

"Does it look like I'm searching for a relationship?"

"Aren't we becoming friends?"

"I don't need friends."

Just as Ino was about to respond, Naruto cut her off, knowing fair well what she was going to ask. "No."

"But why? I thought we were your friends."

That brought a chuckle from her traveling companion. "Friends? Don't make me laugh. I bet you anything in this world that no one in the village saw me as a friend. A tool most likely, but a friend? Don't be ridiculous Yamanaka." Naruto stopped walking and wrapped his cloak closer to him, as if he was trying to put his thought into words. "I learned first hand that friends are just as useless as fan girls. At first, they might seem useful and fun to have around but when you really need them, they are no where to be found."

Ino flinched at the way Naruto was talking, almost as if he was recalling some really painful memories. "Naruto…"

"Do not interrupt. I'm not done yet." The blond dangerously said. "Where was everyone when I was unfairly convicted? Where was everyone during my birthdays? WHERE THE HELL WAS EVERYONE WHEN I NEEDED THEM THE MOST?"

"Naruto…" Ino whispered. All the pain that he had cooped up inside of him, all the misery, all the sadness... it probably hurt more than a million sharp weapons piercing through one's body.

She watched the cold empty expression on his face as he clutched his hands, trying to keep his emotions in check. A faint bluish-red chakra outline surrounded him and she could feel the power emitted from it.

"I'm sorry Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes widened as felt someone hug him from behind, a pair of petite arms wrapped around his torso. He felt himself calming down as he stood there, finally realizing what just happened.

He turned around and found Ino's arms wrapped around him, tears leaking down her face. "I'm sorry…" Naruto heard her whisper out as she closed her eyes.

"Why are you sorry Yamanaka? I never asked for your apology nor do I ever want it."

- - -

"Where do you think you're going Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked. The woman stood at the entrance of the office, surprised to see her mentor packed and ready to take off.

"Jiraiya and I have to take a trip. I'm leaving you in charge Shizune."

"How can you be so irresponsible Tsunade-sama? Leaving at a time like this. Konoha needs you right now. The council desperately needs to be reformed and the scroll disappeared!"

"And that's the reason why I have to go Shizune. You remember the coin right?"

The look in her assistant's eyes was more than a yes. It proved that she clearly still remembered it. "I'll be back in a couple of days. Try not to commit suicide before I get back."

Shizune gritted her teeth as she watched her mentor and friend leap away into the night, leaving her to clean up this mess. "You better come back alive. Tsunade-sama…"

- - -

Naruto continued traveling at a fast pace, stopping at regular intervals to check if there were anyone following him. Wrapped inside his cloak was one Ino Yamanaka, who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. During their last conversation, she had fallen asleep standing up and he couldn't just leave her there.

Seeing as how he wanted to reach his destination in time, he opted to carry her in his arms. A lot of thoughts raced through his mind as he continued traveling west. The scroll was safely tucked in his pocket but that troubled him greatly.

He never saw this scroll before. It was different from the Hidden Village Scroll that he had stolen when he was younger. This one was smaller and had some kind of power radiating off it.

"Just what are you planning Pein?" Naruto thought out loud. "Don't think for a minute that I will be some expendable pawn in your little game."

A loud thumping sound from the east caused Naruto to stop on the ground, hiding behind a tree as he tried to sense where the sound was coming from. With each passing second, the sound got louder and louder until he looked up, surprised to see a huge shadow leaping over him.

"Gamabunta?"

The huge frog leaped over the area and continued west. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he watched it disappear into the horizon. "I wonder where that oversize toad going in such a hurry?"

"What was that Naruto?" Ino asked as she yawned. She blinked a couple of times as she looked up, surprised to see herself in his arms.

"Gamabunta…" Naruto replied, his eyes still staring at the direction where the toad went.

"Jiraiya-sama's summon?"

"Yeah, listen, we're going to speed up the pace a little. I want to know where Gamabunta is going in such a hurry. Can you Shunshin well?"

Ino rolled her eyes. Imagine him asking her if she can perform such an easy technique. "Of course I can."

"Good, 'cause I'm not waiting."

Without warning, Naruto took off like a bullet, leaving Ino amazed at the speed that her companion disappeared at. In a mere fraction of a second, Naruto was already out of her sight and she only sighed. It was a good thing she was well rested because if she wasn't, there was no way in hell she was going to catch him.

_15 minutes later_

"Slow down Naruto!" Ino desperately yelled. She barely caught up with the man and then he just disappeared once more. Feeling her chakra reserves giving out on her, she landed on the ground, heavily panting and sweat dripping down her face. It was no use, she couldn't catch him now.

"Geez Yamanaka, why are you so useless?"

"Shut up." Ino retorted as she caught her breath. She let out a small squeal when she felt a pair of strong arms picking her up. "What do you think you're doing?" Ino asked as she fidgeted around.

"Trying to not waste any more time."

- - -

"Are you sure this is the right way Tsunade?" Jiraiya shouted over the wind.

"YES!"

Jiraiya sighed as he stood on top of Gamabunta, his mind wandering all over the place. He couldn't help but wonder where this meeting of the Kage took place and why now. Did it have something to do with the scroll that was stolen from Konoha? He cursed himself for being so helpless at a time like this.

Aside from being a well-known author of the greatest novel series known to man, Jiraiya prided himself in being a scholar, an information expert. He would have information about anything; sealing, training, women. Those were just the tip of the iceberg but the one thing that eluded him was ancient history.

In all his years as a ninja, history was such a vast subject that no matter how far he traveled or how often he traveled, he couldn't grasp the surface of it. Sure he knew the history concerning the major villages and their leaders but anything before that were just random guesses.

"Do you even know where they're meeting?"

"Nope." Tsunade answered. The Godaime was sitting cross-legged, staring out into the horizon. She held the coin at the tip of her hands, watching it shine in the morning sun.

"So we're traveling blind?"

"Yup."

"JIRAIYA!" Gamabunta bellowed out. "You told me you knew where we were going." The toad came to a halt, his eyes glaring straight at its summoner. "Your promise of 75 bottles of sake has just been raised to 115 bottles. Consider that your punishment for lying to me."

"115??" Jiraiya shouted. "That's unreasonable!"

"125."

"Whatttt?"

"135. Keep talking you old pervert and I'll keep raising it."

That instantly shut Jiraiya up. Knowing how much 135 bottles of sake would cost him, he silently wept to himself.

"Gamabunta. Go left now." Tsunade yelled. The coin in her hand suddenly dropped to the left, indicating that they must travel towards the left.

The toad grunted and switched directions, now traveling in the left. Jiraiya sadly walked over, his shoulders slumped and mock tears were leaking out from his eyes. "Why me?" He whined.

"Shut up Jiraiya. I'm trying to concentrate." Tsunade picked up the coin and held it once more at the tip of her hand.

Jiraiya took this chance to further study the strange markings on the coin. On the center of it, there was some sort of circle with the kanji for fire in it. "Just how does it work?"

Tsunade shrugged her shoulders, "Beats me. If we're too far off course, it'll fall off my hand in the direction that we need to go. If we're on course, it'll stay on my hand. Strange huh?"

"More like interesting." Jiraiya commented. "So what happens now?"

"Who knows… This is the first time in over a hundred years that this has happened. I guess whoever activated the coin will meet us at the location and tell us."

"I still don't like this one bit Tsunade."

"I don't like it either but it must be done. This is the code that we Kage must follow and honor."

"We should have called in backup in case something happens."

Tsunade shook her head, disagreeing with the idea. "This is a law set and agreed on by the first Kage. I refuse to be the one who breaks tradition. Besides, Sarutobi-sensei also wrote in the scroll that there is nothing to worry about."

That caused Jiraiya to snort in disbelief. "Yeah and I'm sure Akatsuki will just surrender themselves."

"Believe what you want but until I actually see betrayal, I'll keep an open mind."

- - -

"Why are you going so fast?" Ino shouted as she held on to Naruto for dear life. They were currently traveling faster than your normal Kage average speed and that frightened her. She couldn't even see the trees anymore. Everything was just a blur to her.

"Gamabunta may not be the fastest runner of the toads but he's no slouch when it comes to leaping. One leap and he can clear 600 meters easily."

"Why don't you just summon the fastest toad in your arsenal and then we can do the same thing?"

"I'm a missing-nin remember? The Toad Contract is only loyal to Konoha Ninjas and when they find out that I summoned them, they will have my head. Geez, don't they teach you anything in Konoha?"

"Well excuse me for not having a summoning contract." Ino huffed. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, "How much longer do we have before we catch up to them?"

"I don't know when they're stopping. It might be minutes, hours or even days."

"Are you sure you can keep this up?" Ino asked. There was always a limit to how much a human body can take and if they go over the limit, their life span is considerably shortened.

Even though Ino was an Interrogation specialist, she still knew the human body inside out. While she may not be a medical ninja, she had the knowledge of one. Knowing how the human body tweaked and worked made her job more enjoyable.

"I'm not human remember?" Naruto coldly replied.

Noticing that she touched upon a sore spot, she decided to change the subject. "So why did you join Akatsuki?"

She could feel his strong gaze upon her and she looked away, feeling her cheeks blushing. "We're talking about you here."

"No particular reason. They were looking for muscle and I applied." He sarcastically answered. "I got accepted when I wiped the floor with Itachi and destroyed a statue with my bare hands."

"Haha funny." Ino said, rolling her eyes. "Now seriously… why did you join up with them Naruto? Aren't they the ones who wanted to capture you in the first place?"

"That was then and this is now."

Ino sighed, "Fine Naruto. It's fine if you don't want to tell me but just don't lie to me."

The blond looked down for a split second and found her staring at him. "You like something you see?" He teasingly said.

"As if, I think Sasuke is sooo much better looking."

"Then why don't you ask your precious Sasuke to carry you?" Naruto lightly tossed her into the air, earning him a loud scream Ino.

He chuckled as he sped up, catching her in his arms before she fell. "Did your Sasuke-chan not get you Yamanaka? I thought he would have showed up and saved you from a certain doom."

"Not. Funny." Ino sternly replied as she dug her nails into Naruto's skin.

"Fast healing. You won't hurt me."

Darn, she had forgotten about the abilities that Naruto had. Ultra fast healing and the ability to survive fatal blows that would kill a normal man. In a sense, Naruto was like a super human, the kind that any military would eagerly want in their ranks. With just Naruto on their side, they would be unstoppable and if they were able to have him breed children with other bloodlines…

The thought just amazed her. There were just so many different scenarios that concerned Naruto but all of them ended up with him being used and manipulated. Maybe leaving Konoha was the best thing that could have happened to him…

"Say Naruto… What did you mean by you'll take of everything when we were leaving Konoha?"

"Let's just say… You won't be returning anytime soon."

- - -

"Shizune-sama! We just found the body of one Ino Yamanaka!"

Upon hearing the news, Shizune spat out the tea that she was sipping before a jounin barged in with the bad news. "What the hell do you mean?"

"We were out surveying the area like you requested and suddenly, we found her body among the rumble, her throat slashed like the rest."

"No. No. No!" Shizune repeated to herself. "Get her to the hospital for examination."

"Hai." The jounin responded as he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"It wasn't supposed to go down like this. She wasn't supposed to die!" Shizune paced around the room, panicking at every step. "What do I do now? What do I do?"

"Damn this job! I was better off being an assistant."

- - -

"You WHAT?" Ino screamed. She punched Naruto hard on the shoulder. "HOW COULD YOU?"

She continued hitting Naruto, not letting up for a second. "WHY WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER THAT? HAVE YOU EVEN THOUGHT THAT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, THAT ONE DAY I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK?"

"Uh…"

"THAT'S RIGHT YOU DIDN'T THINK!"

"But."

"BUT WHAT? YOU LEFT BEHIND A DEAD CORPSE. ALL MY FRIENDS WILL THINK THAT I ACTUALLY DIED. IMAGINE THE SURPRISE WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT I'M NOT DEAD."

"At least you're not dead."

"ARGH!" Ino screamed. She clutched her hands tightly and glared at Naruto, imagining that her hands were around that neck of his right now, squeezing it slowly and painfully.

"Why couldn't you have done something less subtle?"

"That's not my style."

"I swear Naruto, the first thing I'm going to do when I get off is to strangle you. I will literally strangle you until you turn blue."

Knowing that Ino would pretty much carry out that threat, Naruto started calculating a backup plan in the back of his mind. He had so much to do before he died. So much to accomplish…

"Yeah. Kill me later. Hang on, I'm taking it up another notch."

Ino's eyes widened at his statement. "Another notch? You're not tired?"

"Nah, I'm not going all out." As soon as he said that, the speed picked up once again and Ino just closed her eyes. She was feeling a bit sick and it wouldn't do her any good if she barfed on herself.

- - -

"Pein… It's almost time." A woman's voice spoke up. "They're nearly here."

"Yes. I know. I can feel them approaching…"

"I'm not sure we should trust that Uzumaki just yet. I cannot… read his thoughts clearly…"

"You worry too much Konan. It will be just fine."

"Are you sure you want to continue with this?"

Pein nodded his head, "It is required for the salvation of this world Konan. Nagato would have wanted this…"

Upon hearing the name, Konan's expression saddened slightly but it soon returned to normal. "I shall make the appropriate preparations then…"

- - -

"We're here Jiraiya…" Tsunade suddenly said. The coin that she was holding onto had stopped guiding her.

"Stop Gamabunta." Jiraiya shouted. The toad came to a halt as they looked around. "Looks like a waste land. Are you sure you got the right place?"

"We finally agree on something you pervert. Looks like I'm done here. Remember what you owe me Jiraiya." Gamabunta wrapped his tongue around Jiraiya and squeezed hard.

"I got it. I got it!" Jiraiya quickly said.

Tsunade jumped off Gamabunta's back and landed on the floor while Jiraiya fell straight down when the boss disappeared.

The Godaime looked around, searching for some sort of meeting place but she found nothing. Nothing but empty barren wastelands in every direction.

"Looks like crap…" Jiraiya muttered as he dusted himself off. All that traveling and 135 bottles of sake for this? It was definitely not worth it. He could have been at the hot springs in Konoha, working on his new books.

"Looks like you made it…" A voice spoke up from behind them. The two Konoha ninjas jumped backwards and assumed a defensive position.

"Woah woah easy there Godaime Hokage of Konoha." The person appeared from the ground, holding his hands up in the air. "It's been a long time Jiraiya."

"Himura…" Jiraiya slowly greeted in return.

- - -

"Why did you stop Naruto?" Ino suddenly asked. Naruto's hand quickly covered her mouth, stopping her from answering any more questions.

"Shhh…" She heard him respond.

Naruto stood at a distance, standing in a crater that Gamabunta had created before he disappeared. He didn't want to get too close and risk being discovered. He watched as his former sensei and Hokage stood there talking with a strange man. Just what were they up to in the middle of a wasteland?

"What's going on Naruto?" Ino quietly asked. She released herself from Naruto's arm and crouched up next to him. "Is that… Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama?"

"Yeah."

The next thing they saw had their eyes widened in surprise. One minute the group was just standing outside and the next, they vanished into thin air. Naruto scanned the area, searching for any traces of chakra but was surprised when he found nothing.

A Kage Bunshin suddenly appeared next to him, surprising Ino a bit.

"You can do that without any seals?" Ino asked, amazed. To be able to perform a technique without any hand seals show that a person has truly mastered the technique.

"Go." Naruto whispered.

The clone walked over to the area, slowly searching around for any traces of human contact. Just as the clone was about to give up, his hand slipped through an invisible barrier, everyone's eyes widened at the sudden discovery.

"Go back to base and give the scroll to the leader. Stay there for the duration until you find a perfect chance to dismiss yourself." Naruto commanded.

"Right." The clone answered before taking off.

"Naruto… What's going on here?"

"I don't know Yamanaka… I don't know…"

- - -

"Welcome to the Château de Versailles…" Himura said, introducing the newcomers to the area. "This is a holy place where the Kage gather in time of need. You must never speak of its location or what you see in here to anyone. Do I make myself clear?"

Tsunade and Jiraiya both nodded.

"Amazing…" Tsunade commented as she stared in amazement. The Château de Versailles was actually a palace, built with silver and lined with gemstones on the walls. It was truly a magnificent place to witness.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, was hyperventilating from the place. He could smell the rich aura, the amount of gold that was stored in this place. It was just overwhelming. Maybe he could sneak a few back later for his own personal use.

"Tsunade, we must enter the chamber. We do not have time to spare." Himura started walking, opening the grand doors to the palace. "Everyone is waiting."

"Let's go Jiraiya. We came here for a reason."

The Sannins walked into the place together, each wondering what this meeting is about. For all they know, it could be about the fate of the world…

* * *

Author's note: You know what they say... Once you step into Darkness, You can't turn back.


	14. The Surprise

Sorry about the lack of updates, I started a new job and its been hectic but anyway, back to why it was late. I actually finished this chapter and had it betaed by Wilson a while back but I was preoccuiped with stuff.

Anyway, here it is folks. Sorry about the delay.

I like to thank all the people who read and left reviews. Thank you all.

* * *

When Himura pushed the doors open and allowed his guests to enter the sacred building, it came as no surprise that they were shocked. Seeing such an amazing infrastructure up close would shock anyone. He secretly smiled to himself; it never got old seeing the looks of surprise on their faces.

Tsunade gasped as she entered the room. "Is it just me… or do the rooms keep getting fancier and fancier as we go in?"

Jiraiya nodded his head, "Holy shit! There are more jewels and gold in here than we have in Konoha combined!"

"If you could please come this way, I will show you to the inner chamber." Himura said, walking briskly in front of them. As much as he wanted to show off the rest of the building, there were other important matters to attend to.

As Himura led the way in, Jiraiya glanced over at Tsunade, making sure that she was alright. He noticed that her left hand was slightly shaking but waved it off as being nervous.

'_I can't blame her.'_ Jiraiya thought. As he looked at Tsunade, he missed seeing Himura stopping and bumped into the man. "Sorry."

"It is quite alright." Himura replied as he opened the grand doors to the inner chamber.

Inside the room sat the most prominent political figures in the entire nation - the Kages of each major village.

"Please have a seat, we will begin momentarily." Himura politely said, making his way across the room.

Tsunade nodded her head and took her place next to Gaara, or what looked liked to be him. She couldn't really tell with all the bruises and bandages on his face. "Gaara? Is that you?"

Gaara grunted a response and nodded his head. "Yes. It is me."

"What the hell happened to you? It looks like someone mauled you in a fight."

"Akatsuki happened." Another voice said, answering for Gaara. Tsunade turned her head and instantly recognized the person.

"Hidekatsu? Damn! Look at you! You're worse than Gaara." Jiraiya exclaimed, interrupting Tsunade. "Damn… that Akatsuki member must have done a number on you."

Shibata chuckled weakly as he leaned back into his chair, "Let's just say that the element of surprise was on their side."

"Enough... We have more pressing issues at hand than to talk about their shameful defeats." answered Aoi Kimburta, the Raikage.

"Indeed." Himura stood up so everyone could see him. "Before we begin, let us start off with an introduction. Please introduce yourself as we go around the room." He turned to Aoi, who was sitting on his left hand side.

The Raikage looked annoyed by the man's request but stood up anyway, "I am Aoi Kimburta, the Yondaime Raikage." When he sat down, Himura motioned for the next one to stand up.

"Greetings, I am Shiro Yamato, the Sandaime Mizukage."

Shibata raised his hand as Shiro sat down, "Is it okay if I just introduce myself sitting down? I have trouble getting up…"

Himura nodded his head. "Go right ahead, we are among friends here."

"I am Shibata Hidekatsu, the Yondaime Tsuchikage."

Gaara rolled his eyes as he stood up. He was never one for these petty icebreaker games, even during his genin days. They were such an annoyance. "I am Sabaku no Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage." He sat down after his quick introduction, motioning for Tsunade to go.

Tsunade stood up but not before locking eyes with the Raikage. It was no surprise that he was glaring at her as well. It brought a huge smirk to her face as a scowl appeared on his. "I am Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage."

All eyes went back to Himura as everyone finished introducing themselves. They were wondering just who this man was.

"I am Sojiro Himura, the twenty-seventh guardian of this sacred place and I am the one who summoned you."

"Why have you summoned us guardian? We are not at your disposal. We do not answer to some stranger. We have countries to run and soldiers to command."

"I know that Kimburta-san but you are in the inner chamber, a place where everyone is neutral. You will be respectful towards everyone. I will not tolerate anything less. Do I make myself clear?"

The tone that Himura replied back with caused the Raikage and everyone else to think twice about the man. At first glance, one would think that the man was fragile and weak but underneath that exterior, there was a level of mystery and power that none of them could begin to comprehend.

"Crystal…" A reluctant answer was all Aoi could manage.

Himura then turned his attention back to the group, "Now that the introductions are out of the way, let us get straight to business."

The guardian sat down and folded his hands, a stoic expression on his face. "Where are the original scrolls that your predecessors have vowed to keep safe from all harm?"

The question came as a surprise to everyone and naturally, it caught everyone off guard.

"Well? I'm waiting…"

"Gone." Shiro finally answered. "Taken by Akatsuki."

Himura sighed, "What has become of the famed artifact, _Heart of the Waterfall_?"

Again, the room was filled with silence; no one knew how to answer the guardian. Tsunade sighed as she answered, "Gone as well."

"So let me get this straight." The guardian said, his gaze fixated on the Kage. "You're telling me that the organization called Akatsuki has both the scrolls and the artifact?"

The Kage each nodded their head. "They took us by surprise. We weren't expecting them to be the one collecting the scrolls."

"Then… the day that we have feared has finally come." Himura said with a hint of urgency in his voice.

"What are you talking about Himura-san? What is so important about those scrolls?" Shiro asked.

"I do not seem to recall reading about them in any book or scrolls Himura-san."

Before Shiro took on the title of the Mizukage, he was a man of knowledge. He preferred brains to brawn and valued the power of knowledge over brute strength. His unusual method caused him to have workers build a huge library directly underneath his office, one big enough to satisfy his addiction to knowledge.

"That is because this is something that goes way beyond the normal scope. This is something that should never be mentioned _anywhere_. The information is so highly classified that it must only be committed to memory. Writing it down puts everything we stand for in jeopardy."

"That is absurd! What is so bloody important about these scrolls?" Aoi loudly retorted, standing up from his seat. "Stop leaving us in the dark and tell us already!"

"Kimburta-san. I will not warn you again. If there is more one rude outburst from you, I cannot be held responsible for my actions." Himura coldly said. "Now sit down and shut up! I do not have time to deal with your petty issues!"

Everyone in the room felt the cold killing intent that leaked out from Himura but they didn't feel the force behind it. Aoi was the unlucky victim to be the recipient for it. They didn't need to experience it to know how powerful it was. Just by looking at Aoi trembling told them everything they need to know.

The Raikage had a reputation of ruling his village with an iron fist and to see the man shaking from Himura spoke a thousand words.

"The contents of the scrolls themselves are not important. It doesn't matter if any organization possesses them but when all the scrolls are combined with the artifact… it produces a unique map."

"A map? A map to what?" Tsunade asked.

"Not what… who." Himura answered. "It is not a treasure map that leads to untold riches. The map leads to something even greater…"

"Something greater than treasure?" Jiraiya spoke up, his body leaning forward. He moved his chair slightly to the left of Tsunade, so Himura could see his face. "What is greater than riches?"

"The body of the Rikudou Sennin."

"Bah, mythological folktales. Nothing more but a bedtime story. Everyone knows that the body of the Rikudou Sennin was destroyed when he died."

"Jiraiya-san." Himura turned his attention to the Toad Sannin. "Let me assure you, I am neither a humorous person nor do I like to make up fabricated stories for my own amusement."

"Uh huh…" Jiraiya said as he shrank back into his chair, knowing that he had just been given a warning. He didn't want to feel what Aoi felt; just remembering it brought chills down his back.

"To answer your question, the legend about the Rikudou Sennin is indeed false. We only created that story to keep people from finding out the truth. If they knew the truth, the peaceful era that we live in today would have been replaced by a war-ridden battlefield. The truth is… the body of the Rikudou Sennin was never destroyed."

Upon hearing the news, Jiraiya choked out loud. "Are you insane? If what you're telling us is true then that's insane! The body of the Rikudou Sennin is too valuable to be left lying around like that. What the hell were you guys thinking?"

Himura shot Jiraiya a cold intense glare, letting him know that he was already on his second warning. "You don't think we tried? We knew about the dangers and we tried everything to prevent it; from using fire to freezing the body in absolute zero but nothing worked. The Sennin was able to somehow preserve his own body and because of that, this organization was formed to protect it, to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. The first Kage knew about it and swore to protect it from evil."

"So what that does that mean now?" Gaara said, speaking up for the first time. Since the beginning of the meeting, he had been silent, talking only when he thought it was necessary. "Since Akatsuki has the items, what does that mean for us as a whole?"

Himura sadly smiled, "I fear that the worst has come my Kage… The map has finally been gathered and judgment day has finally come."

- - -

When Himura opened the doors, expecting to have his final two guests arrive, what the guardian didn't notice was that there were two extra.

Naruto silently evaded detection by casting a double genjutsu over himself and Ino. Normally it wouldn't have been able to hide their chakra signature but when combined with a certain technique, it would make everything seem invisible.

As they silently walked through the hallway, he stayed a few feet behind them. Any sudden movement could dispel his genjutsu. When they reached the inner chamber, Naruto quickly put his arm around Ino and they jumped towards the ceiling.

He noticed that the guardian's eyes were shifting around, almost as if he could see right through the genjutsu. Naruto held his breath when he saw Himura stare right at him but the moment passed when the guardian sat down.

"Why are we here Naruto?" Ino asked.

"Aren't you a bit curious as to why Tsunade and Ero-sennin came to this ultra secret place?" Naruto replied. He saw Ino nodding her head and his eyes switched from hers to the other Kage. "There must be a reason why all the Kage are gathered here in this one place and I'm willing to bet that whatever reason they're here for has to do something with those scrolls. Now shut up, it's starting."

Ino felt a bit hesitant spying on the meeting. If it were under normal circumstances, she wouldn't mind it but these people were Kage level ninjas for crying out loud. People who were deemed the strongest! If they were spotted, she wasn't even sure Naruto could take them on and come out unscathed.

Naruto leaned a little bit to the left, his body adjusting itself so he could get comfortable. There was something about this situation that was making him a bit uneasy.

He, too, had heard the bedtime story of the Rikudou Sennin when he was still a genin. The story, as well as he can remember it, describes the legendary tales of the hermit and his journey to achieve the ultimate power to bring peace to humanity. It ended with the Sennin achieving nirvana and spreading his knowledge to the great nations.

It came as a shock when he found out that the very bedtime story that he grew up with was indeed false. The very man that kids idolized was a false image? Something was wrong here.

Something very wrong.

As Naruto looked on, waiting patiently for the guardian to continue the conversation, he went over the information once again…

Something didn't add up here…

- - -

"I fear that whoever possesses the map, will control the will of the Sennin." Himura sadly answered.

"Is it because of some kind of powerful bloodline that the Sennin has?" Gaara said, remembering a certain battle between with Sasori of Akatsuki, the puppet master. It was said that even in death, the KazeKage's bloodline was still as powerful as when he was alive.

"No my young Kage. He who controls the Sennin will control the world." The guardian replied.

"Woah, woah." Tsunade said, holding her hands up in the air. "Now wait a darn minute. The Sennin may have been a powerful man but he was also a good man. He would never think about destroying the world."

"I see that some of you still don't believe me. The Rikudou Sennin was indeed one of the greatest people to ever walk this planet, giving birth to the Ninjutsu that you now know but aside from that, he was also evil. What you did not know was that the man was corrupted with power, filled with evil in his heart. He saw the ways that humanity was taking root and decided to change it with the powers he achieved. Many have gone against him and many have died but a selected few came together and defeated the Sennin in battle. The man swore that one day, he will come back and when he does, he will have his revenge. That is why we don't speak about the man; so he could disappear. To be forgotten…"

"But you failed." Gaara guessed. "At some point in time, his name resurfaced and now, Akatsuki is trying to claim his body for their own purpose."

"Exactly and if they find the Sennin before we do, we would have a disaster of epic proportions on our hands."

"Should we prepare our armies for war?" Aoi asked, a devious smirk beginning to appear on his face. If it was about quantity of able soldiers, there was none better than his army.

The guardian shook his head. "It doesn't matter how many men you send, once they have the Sennin under their control, they would just be slaughtered…"

"You make him sound like the man's coming back from the dead." Jiraiya spoke up. "That's not possible unless you're Orochimaru."

"But how alive are we in reality? Does one need to speak and think to be fully alive? No my friend. He is alive as any living thing. The difference between him and us is that we have a soul."

"So how are they going to control the Sennin? I'm sure the man took precautionary measures to prevent something like that."

"By performing a blood ritual that requires a living sacrifice."

- - -

"Did you hear that Naruto?" Ino asked. "They're reviving a dead man! And you're working for something like that? Is that what you really wanted? To be apart of something that brings the world to its knees?"

Naruto remained silent, deep in thought. By the time he answered, he saw Ino staring at him intently. "I will make Konoha pay and if I must be apart of Pein's plan, then so be it."

"What if _you're_ the one they sacrifice?"

The question caught Naruto off guard. He never thought about it from that angle. The more he thought about it, the more his eyes lit up in fury.

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head, "Pein… you bastard."

With this new information, it was now safe to assume that Pein was going to need a sacrifice to resurrect the fallen Sennin. Naruto quickly made a mental checklist of every Akatsuki member in his head, crossing them off one by one by their rank of importance to the man.

Hidan and Kakuzu were known as the immortal duo. They were too valuable to be killed, not that they could be killed. Pein wouldn't let those pawns escape his sight, not even for a second.

Next on that list were Tobi and Zetsu. These two were the spies of the group and they hold unique skills that Pein required so they can be crossed off that list as well.

Last on that list was Itachi and he was in a unique position. The man had the Mangekyo Sharingan and valuable knowledge as well.

After going through that very short list, it was basically narrowed down to him and Deidara but knowing his luck, it would certainly be him.

Naruto clutched his knuckles tightly as the thought stuck in his mind. It wasn't going to be him. He would be damned if it was him and he was going to make sure it wasn't.

"You're a devious man Pein… but too bad I'm on to you. I will not be used as bait in your little game. Never again will I be used like a measly pawn. We'll see how far you go…" Naruto whispered to himself.

He turned his head slightly and looked at Ino, who was still listening intently to the discussion.

"Yamanaka." Naruto whispered into her ear, "I changed my mind. You're not coming with me anymore."

- - -

"How do we stop them then? They have the map! They have a head start. An advantage!" Tsunade asked.

"Do not fret my friends. Did you think I would be unprepared? We have the map sealed inside a scroll for emergency purposes like this but it would take some time to unseal it."

"Then we should get a move on!"

"No, we should bide our time wisely." Shibata said. "We are dealing with something beyond our understanding. If we make a mistake, it can otherwise prove fatal."

"Weak argument coming from someone who got their ass kicked. I say we gather our forces and launch an attack on Akatsuki immediately." Aoi argued.

"No you naïve fool!" The guardian harshly said. "We cannot move until they do. Only those with the actual map can locate the key to opening the gate."

Tsunade sighed. "So we wait and send in our best warriors?"

Himura shook his head. "No… we send in the best of the best. The Rikudou Sennin was one of the greatest warriors to ever walk this planet. He can probably take all of us on and still win. We need to plan carefully. This is something that we cannot afford to lose."

"What do you suggest then guardian?" Aoi asked. "Should we sit here and twiddle our thumbs?"

Himura snorted as he got up from his seat. "While I'm performing the unsealing ritual, you will head back to your respective villages and select your strongest warriors. Let them know of the dangers that they will face and when the time is right, I will summon all of you again."

The Kage got up and bowed their head in respect before leaving for home. Tsunade pulled Jiraiya to one side once they left the main room. "I want him back now!" She said, keeping her voice down to a minimum.

"Who?" Jiraiya asked, confused about her question.

"Who else do you think stands a chance? He was the strongest in our village and still is. I want him back! I want Uzumaki Naruto!"

Jiraiya choked on the news. "Are you insane? Do you not remember what the boy did in Konoha? I'm not going to risk my neck for a village who won't appreciate it."

Tsunade sighed. "I remember what happened but surely he can understand that the fate of the world is riding on this plan."

"Look, let's just go back to Konoha and think about this carefully. You're tired. I'm tired. Everyone's tired right now."

Putting one arm over her shoulder, Jiraiya led his emotionally drained friend back to Konoha.

- - -

"Well? What now?" Ino quietly asked. The Kage had already left the room but it was still risky to move right now. They could still be outside discussing the events and if they were caught, things could become very complicated.

"We have to leave quietly and then you're going back to Konoha." Naruto answered as he skillfully moved across the ceiling. It wasn't hard considering that he was a ninja but to move with another person took a little bit more time.

"Why?!" Ino replied, almost shouting. After coming all this way and listening to all that, she wasn't going to quit now. Lives were at stake and there was this feeling deep inside of her, telling her not to go back home.

"Because it's not safe anymore."

"Have you forgotten about the fake corpse of me you left behind?"

Of course he remembered, she didn't need to remind him. He was the one who planned it anyway. By combining a simple henge on a dead Chuunin, it was relativity simple.

"The henge would have worn off by now. Go back home to your family."

"I can't go back there!"

Naruto didn't need to turn around to notice her sudden outburst. It doesn't take an expert to figure out that he just hit a painful spot. "What happened Yamanaka? There's something you're not telling me and I don't like being kept in the dark."

"I… can't…go back… to Konoha…"

"You don't have a choice." Naruto answered. "From this point on, the trip is going to be way too dangerous for you. I cannot waste my time looking out for you."

"You don't understand…"

"What's there to understand? Go back home to your family." Naruto harshly said. What was so hard to understand here? He had given her the option to run back home, to a place where she would be safe. Any sane person would have taken him up on that offer.

Ino mumbled something incoherent that Naruto didn't quite understand. "What did you say?"

"My parents aren't around anymore… They passed away a few months ago."

That stopped Naruto in his tracks. He vaguely remembered Ino's parents before his exile. They might not have liked him but they didn't resent him for being the demon. They were just protective over their one and only daughter.

"What happened?"

Ino bit her lips as she fought hard to hold the tears back. Memories of that day were still fresh in her mind.

_Flashback_

"_Miss Yamanaka…"_

"_Yes?" Ino answered, looking up from the flower shop. She dusted off her hands and looked at her visitor. "What can I do for you?"_

"_Hokage-sama requests your presence in her office immediately."_

_It was just like any other day, a messenger coming into the shop and dropping off missions for Ino but little did she know that today was different._

_The blonde rushed to the tower, sensing that something was off today. She had this feeling in her gut, telling her that something was wrong. Her hands trembled when she pushed the doors opened. When she walked in, she saw Tsunade sitting there with a serious expression on._

"_I'm sorry Ino…"_

_That did nothing to help her growing anxiety. Her fears were gnawing at her heart as she desperately asked, "What are you talking about Hokage-sama?"_

"_Your parents… they… died bravely on the battlefield."_

_She knew that this was going to happen but could not believe that it would be this soon. She couldn't believe it…she didn't want to believe it. Her tears were starting to cloud her vision and everything was becoming blurry._

"_H-how?"_

"_It was supposed to be a simple C rank mission to return something to Suna but somewhere along the way, they were ambushed by a group of renegade ninjas. They fought against the enemy with everything they had but in the end, they were tortured and killed. I'm so sorry Ino…"_

_Ino became speechless, shocked at the news. "No…"_

"_NO!!"_

_Tsunade pulled Ino into a much needed hug, she knew all too well the feeling of this pain. She herself had experienced it in the past once to many. "They were the bravest people I have ever known. But rest assured Ino… I will hunt down those people responsible. You have my word as Hokage Ino…"_

_Flashback End._

"Yamanaka…" Naruto started to speak up.

"I don't understand…" Ino said, tears continuing to fall down her face. "How could something happen to them? They were the nicest people you could ever meet."

There was nothing Naruto could say that would make the pain go away. He knew the feeling all too well. "Yamanaka…"

"I just wished I said goodbye to them!"

Sighing quietly, Naruto turned around and saw tears falling down her face. He walked up to her and the next thing he did, surprised them both. In one swift motion, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Shhh… It's going to be okay…"

The simplicity of the hug spoke volumes of words. She didn't need to say anything else as she silently cried on Naruto's shoulder. "Hold on… We're leaving this place."

Ino could only nod her head, unable to find her voice.

Because before she knew it, they were already gone from the place.

* * *

So what did you think? Yes, No? Leave me a review


	15. The Path

Sorry it took so long but this chapter is certainly worth the wait.

Thanks to Wilson for betaing this chapter again! and a big thanks to people who continued to leave me reviews. You guys rock.

_

* * *

_

A week later…

"Are you sure you don't wish to reconsider Gaara?"

The Kazekage shook his head without hesitation. He did not even have to think about the man's request. To him, the Godaime Kazekage of Suna, this request was like another speck of sand in the vast desert. "As I said before, you are my friend and friends… will help each other in times of need…"

It took the once isolated Kazekage some time to put together the right words but when he does, it was usually powerful and deep.

The man beside him only smirked from under his hood. "Friends… help each other in times… of need…"

"I remember that saying…" He continued. "It was back then when I was naïve. If someone said that to me now, I would have laughed and walked away but because it is you, I will trust you…"

Gaara merely nodded his head as the two took a stroll down the streets of Suna, making a right turn towards the main gates. The man had chosen this particular time for a reason and Gaara had often wondered why the man liked the night so much. Could his reason be the same as his? The Kazekage shook his head. To him, the night offered something that the day could not. Comfort.

Throughout most of his life, Gaara grew up without the love of another human being. He was seen as a monster, portrayed as a demon who knew nothing but killing. During the days, he was feared and he often wandered the streets alone, thinking that he was destined to be like this. A cold-blooded killer…

During the day, he was nothing but a killer… yet at night, when the screams and fearful eyes disappeared, he was just a little boy, silently reaching out for acknowledgement. The acknowledgement of existence. He did not care if he was alone during the day, as long as during the night, there was someone out there who believed in him for who he was…

It was only after that man saved him from his own personal demon, that he realized how he always had people believing in him and soon… the day became the night and the night became the day…

"Why do you like the night?" Gaara asked, the question nagging his mind as the two walked down the alleyway. "Why do you always choose to do things under the darkness… Naruto?

The man briefly glanced at the person that was walking besides him and lightly laughed.

"The darkness was my first friend… It was the only time when I was free from those scornful eyes… It was in the darkness that made me feel safe, hiding me in a place where no one could find me…" Naruto stopped and looked up at the night sky, feeling a sense of peace within his soul. "During the day, the villagers would look at me with their hateful glares, spitting on me as I walked by but no matter how much it hurt, I kept walking… because I know the darkness will come and save me. The night provided me with shelter whereas the day cannot. It was because of the night that I was able to survive for so long…"

When Naruto finished explaining, the two men exchanged no further words. There was no need; they fully understood each other, knowing that they share similar pasts but different futures.

"Does she know you're leaving?"

Naruto shook his head. "It is better this way. I can't bring her along to where I'm going."

"You know she's going to hate you right?"

"It will be better this way. We both know what's going to happen if she stays with me."

The Kazekage sighed, "She's not a child Naruto. Let her make her own decisions."

"Since when are you the mature one here Gaara?" Naruto questioned. "She has no idea of what my life has been and I don't intend on telling her. My hands are stained with so much blood that I can dye the ocean red but hers… hers are not yet stained. I want to keep it that way."

"And what should I tell her? That you went to destroy Konoha?" Gaara sarcastically replied.

Naruto chuckled, "That's not a bad idea…"

"Naruto…"

"Tell her that I will be back for her once my goals are fulfilled."

The two walked up to the main gates, the Kazekage standing with his arms folded inside his robes. "There's a war coming Naruto… Which side are you going to be on?"

The blond tilted his head a little and smirked, "My own side." Naruto pulled his own cloak closer before disappearing in a little whirlwind of sand.

"Kazekage-sama!" A guard shouted, "An army is approaching us!"

Gaara narrowed his eyes, "Which village are they from?"

"Konoha!"

Upon hearing the name being uttered from the guard's mouth, Gaara's eyes widened slightly. "This… is not good…"

- - -

"Shisho, are you sure it was a wise decision to leave Konohamaru in charge?" Sakura asked. "I know he's the third's grandson but he's still inexperienced. Wouldn't it be better to leave a member of the council in charge?"

"You shouldn't be worrying about things that don't concern you Sakura. Konohamaru will be just fine. Shizune is with him. Concentrate on your own task." Tsunade answered, holding a pair of scrolls in her hands.

Tsunade watched as Sakura left her side and went over to Kakashi, who was standing firmly behind Sasuke, keeping a watchful eye over their prisoner.

It brought a frown to her face as she recalled the memory that led to his… suspense in his prison time.

_Flashback_

_Sitting at her desk, Tsunade folded her hands, mentally preparing herself for this task. She was gripping her hands so hard; they were almost pale from the loss of blood._

_As a knock on the door shook her out of her trance, she gritted her teeth as the door slowly opened, revealing a very cocky looking Uchiha Sasuke and Morino Ibiki._

"_Hokage-sama…" The Uchiha humorously greeted, a lack of respect clearly present in his voice. _

"_Fool. You will greet your Hokage with respect." Ibiki growled out, slapping Sasuke across the face._

_Sasuke saw the slap coming and braced for impact. He cocked his head to the side and smirked at Ibiki. "Is that all you got? My grandmother hits harder than you."_

"_Why you -" Just as Ibiki was about to punch Sasuke, Tsunade slammed her hands on the table, getting their attention._

"_As much as I want to see Ibiki beat the snot out of you Uchiha, you're here for a different reason today."_

_Sasuke slowly rose from the floor, and snorted, "What reason do you need me for… Hokage-sama…"_

_Ibiki tugged on his prisoner's chain harshly, throwing him back to the floor. "Three hours today Uchiha. Three hours…"_

_Tsunade slowly stood up and glared at Sasuke. "I should let your pathetic life rot down there in prison Uchiha but there's a war approaching Uchiha…"_

"_You need me." Sasuke mockingly replied, interrupting Tsunade in mid sentence. "You know that I'm the best fighter you got."_

_As much as Tsunade wanted to laugh in his face, she couldn't. Both of them knew that the Uchiha bloodline is one of the strongest to ever emerge from Konoha. The Sharingan would be a valuable asset to have on their side. She had to play her cards right in order to get him to follow her orders. A ninja going rogue in the midst of battle is not something she wants to be worrying about._

"_I don't need you Uchiha. Why would I need you? Did you forget that Kakashi also has the Sharingan?" Tsunade pointed out. "He may only have one but he's just as good as you."_

_Sasuke released a hollow laughter. "That's a good one. Kakashi may indeed have the Sharingan but he does not have the potential to use it fully. Face it. You need me in the front line and you know what? I rather rot in jail than help you." _

"_Itachi's going to be there."_

_Sasuke's eyes widened when he heard his older brother's name. The very name that was the cause of all his pain and suffering. The very name that he engraved into his mind, swearing that one day, he will kill him. _

"_You will let me fight him."_

_Tsunade growled, "You are in no positions to make demands Uchiha."_

"_I HAVE TO FIGHT HIM!" Sasuke shouted as he tugged on the chains, trying to draw Chakra to his eyes. _

_Ibiki saw what his prisoner was doing and yanked the chains back. "Did you forget? These chains were designed especially for you Uchiha. They respond to any type of chakra movement from within your body and sucks it dry, like a leech."_

_Feeling his chakra draining away, Sasuke slumped to the ground, his onyx eyes staring at the floor. "Let me fight him and I will serve under you." He whispered._

"_No." Tsunade responded and Sasuke immediately looked up. "You will fight our enemies and if Itachi is one of them, then you will go fight."_

_For a chance to extract his revenge on Itachi, he would do anything… including selling his soul to the devil. "You got yourself a deal."_

_Flashback End_

That was their agreement and so far, the Uchiha was honoring it, even if he was surrounded by Kakashi, Gai, Asuma and Kurenai. To take an even more precautionary measure, she had Jiraiya put a seal on him, one that would immediately send out high voltages of electricity whenever activated.

"Hurry your asses up." Sasuke barked out. "If we don't make it now, we will never make it!"

"Eat sand Uchiha." One of the ninjas shouted. "We don't take orders from you!"

The Uchiha smirked, "Come over here and say that to my face you scum. I'll even let you have a free hit." He taunted.

The ninja took a step back, surprised by the words. He didn't know if he should back away or go forward, whichever his decision was, it was obvious that he would end up losing.

Seeing that the ninja was backing off, Sasuke looked around, "Anyone else?" When he saw that no one else was daring to step up, he gave out a cocky smirked. "That's what I thought. You guys are all cowards."

He continued walking forward, seeing the gates of Suna just ahead. His goal was getting closer with each step and soon, it will be fulfilled.

Jiraiya stood next to Tsunade, disapproval written across his face. "Are you sure it was a wise choice letting him come with us?"

"Who else can we count on? He's our trump card…"

"If he's our trump card then I rather fold right now."

Tsunade sighed, "We're getting too old for this Jiraiya… What choice did I really have? We needed strong fighters and he's one of the strongest that we have."

The Toad Sannin reluctantly nodded. "I still say we should have risked it and let him rot in jail."

"You might risk it but I'm not willing to bet that. I have too many lives on the line to gamble that away."

Jiraiya said nothing as he looked straight ahead, watching the Konoha army approaching the gates. Tsunade found herself staring at her teammate and noticed a difference in his eyes for the first time. She noticed that instead of their usual youthful orbs, they were dull; almost as if his age finally caught up with his body.

Standing under the moonlight, she saw that even under that ridiculous outfit that he wore, he was tired. His body and soul was tired from all the fighting. The mask that he had on disappeared for a split second but that was all she needed to understand him some more…

While Tsunade and Jiraiya took up the rear, the four jounins took up the front with Sasuke and Sakura, each one keeping an eye on their prisoner. When the group finally reached the gate, Sasuke looked up and saw a guard standing in the tower.

"Open up." He commanded. "Open the gate."

The guard walked over to the side and looked down, seeing the Konoha Army standing there. When he saw that his visitors were only them, he shrugged them off and continued patrolling the area.

Kiba growled at the man's actions. "What the hell? He saw us and walks away. This is bullshit!" He picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at the guard.

The guard saw the projectile coming and easily avoided it, continuing to ignore the outsiders. Angered by the man's action, Sasuke shoved Kiba to one side. "Last warning. Open up or I will open it myself!"

The guard still paid them no attention. He was given strict orders by his lord not to let anyone in and that includes Konoha.

"**Katon: Karyuu**** Endan**"

The guard's eyes widened when he heard someone shout out the name of the jutsu. He saw a bright glow in the middle of the night and it came closer. There wasn't enough time to warn the rest of the guards so he did the only thing possible. He brought his hands to his face and prepared to shield himself against the attack. If he survived this attack, then he would sound the alarms…

As he watched for the attack to come, it never came. Instead, a huge gust of wind blocked and dispelled the attack, taming the fiery dragon and returning it to ash.

The gates suddenly opened and revealed a very irritated Kazekage. "I recognize that attack anywhere… Uchiha…" Gaara dangerously said. "I don't appreciate you harming my ninjas… Are you asking for a war between us?"

Sasuke responded with a smirk on his face. "War? What makes you think you can take us on? You can't even beat me! You are nothing without your demon. I did it once before and I can do it again."

Not fazed by the Uchiha's threats, Gaara slowly turned his attention to an approaching Hokage, who took her place in front of Sasuke. "What does the mighty Godaime Hokage of Konoha think? Do you want to risk war between us? You already have more on your plate than you can handle."

Tsunade shook her head, "We don't want war. We are asking permission to stay for one night, so that our soldiers can rest up."

"No."

"What?" Tsunade asked, surprised by his answer. She knew they weren't exactly on the best of terms but they were allies in this war. Surely, he must understand that.

"I said no. Konoha is not welcomed within Suna and if your ninjas dare to step one foot inside, I will take it as a declaration of war between our villages and I will not hesitate to crush you."

"Crush us?" Sasuke scoffed. "You are just one man. We have an army capable of conquering Suna right now. If we really wanted to, we can take this place by force."

"Uchiha! Who gave you permission to speak on my behalf?" Tsunade coldly asked. "I am the Hokage and I will make the decisions. Is that clear?"

The cold angry look told Sasuke all he needed to back away. As he backed down, he saw the amused look on Gaara's face and he scowled. "She just saved you from an ass-kicking…"

"I beg to differ Uchiha. She just saved you from my execution."

"I like to see you try demon-boy. You talk big but we both know that I'm the better fighter between the both of us."

Gaara just laughed. For the first time in his life, he publicly laughed. Everyone that was in the area was surprised by the Kazekage's actions. Even Tsunade, who knew Gaara since the start of his career, never, seen him laugh like this. Maybe a small smile or a chuckle once in a while but never a laughter.

"You crack me up Uchiha." Gaara said in between breaths. "You claim about kicking my ass and then claim that you can conquer Suna but yet, you're being restrained by the very people who you think are your allies. Now, I only have one question for you, how low can an Uchiha actually go?"

Seeing the very enemy in front of him making remarks on his pride was one thing but to not do anything about it was intolerable. Sasuke felt the power from the Curse Seal acting up, begging to be released but he couldn't. The people around him wouldn't hesitate to kill him on the spot if he acted on his impulse.

Calming himself down, Sasuke did the only thing that he could, play his game. "You're all talk Gaara. You're nothing but a second rate ninja. I can kick your ass all the way back to Kumo and back without breaking a sweat."

Gaara stood there, a feint smile gracing his facial expressions as he folded his arms against his chest, his eyes locked on the Konoha Ninjas, as if he was waiting for something.

"But can you kick my ass… teme?"

A voice echoed from the desert breeze. Everyone started looking around, trying to locate that voice. It was oddly familiar but yet, no one could place a name to that voice.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he turned his attention back to Gaara, "Resorting to petty tricks? This is a new low for you demon-boy."

Instead of receiving a verbal answer like he wanted, Gaara only moved aside, revealing that he wasn't alone in this standoff. The sounds of a cloak flapping freely against the night breeze diverted everyone's attention to the newcomer.

They gasped when they recognized the design on the cloak. It was an infamous design that brought fear into the hearts of many ninjas, even the strong ones. They were known far and wide and they only had one name… Akatsuki.

No one but Gaara knew who this Akatsuki member was but to see one here, it meant that Akatsuki was onto them. They could be walking into an ambush if they weren't careful.

For what looked like hours, only seconds has passed when the man in the Akatsuki robes spoke. "What? No greetings for your former comrade?" His voice deprived of all emotions, almost as if he was a robotic creature of some sort.

"You…" Sasuke hissed out.

"You dare house a missing-nin? I am surprised at you Gaara!" Sakura shouted. "You are a Kage for god's sake. It is your duty to protect your village from the likes of them!"

"Missing-nin? Where do you see the missing-nin?" Gaara asked, pretending to look around. "I don't see one here. Do you see one Kenchi?"

Kenchi, the guard, only shook his head. "I do not Kazekage-sama. I only see friends among us."

Everyone in Suna knew about this particular missing-nin. While the outside world considers him dangerous and labeled him to be killed, Suna considered him one of their own.

A man who was worthy of receiving an honorary citizenship.

A man who saved their village over and over and a man who had saved their Kazekage.

"There you have it Konoha. We do not see a missing-nin among us. We only see… a brother."

The stranger slowly reached for his straw hat and removed it, revealing his identity to the world.

Tsunade felt her heart dropping when she saw the identity of this Akatsuki member. It was the last person she expected to see and the last person she ever wanted to go up against…

"Naruto…" She whispered out.

Surprise spread among the Konoha ninjas when they realized who this man was. It was Uzumaki Naruto, the ex-ANBU captain who was dubbed 'The Silent Storm'. Just one look at his cold azure eyes sent shivers down their spines.

"If you want to go to war so badly, then let's go." A cold cynical smirk appeared on Naruto's face, revealing his canines. "I will take all of you on myself."

Tsunade watched as her ninjas were just trembling from fear. Her jounins weren't fairing any better. She could see the slight nervousness in each of them and if they were to fight now, it would end in their utter defeat.

"You made your point very clear." She proclaimed. "We will take our leave but you have a promise to uphold Gaara. Remember that."

The Godaime Hokage took once last look at her surrogated grandson and painfully pushed herself to leave. Jiraiya took once last look at his former apprentice and nodded, receiving one from Naruto as well.

"Everyone move out!" The Toad Sannin loudly commanded. Only a small amount of ninjas actually heard the command. The rest was paralyzed from fear to actually move.

"What? Are you guys staying to fight?"

"Idiots! Move out now!" Jiraiya shouted when he saw the simultaneous hand motions from both Gaara and Naruto.

"If you won't move, we'll make you move!" Gaara and Naruto both shouted.

"**Sabaku no Naruto!**"

Jiraiya's eyes widened when he saw a huge twister sprouting up from the ground, combing itself with the sand. The effect was disastrous for the Konoha Ninjas, getting forcefully pushed back by the force of nature.

Some were getting throw forcefully into the air while others were getting slammed into the ground, getting buried by the sand. A dangerous technique that nearly destroyed their army if they haven't reacted in time.

"Strong!" Jiraiya muttered as he struggled to remain stationary but with each passing second, he found it hard.

It was truly a technique worthy of those two. By combining their two natural elements, they have created a dangerous maelstorm that can shred anything or anyone if they were unprepared.

In the end, the desert storm threw out every Konoha ninja. Tsunade spat the sand out of her mouth before standing back up, ready to take command again.

"We regroup now!" She angrily shouted. Her ninjas were in top condition when they left Konoha but now, they couldn't even make it across the desert. Whatever that technique they used was, it was clearly dangerous.

The Godaime Hokage had a look of fear in her eyes when she looked at up at the night sky, knowing what the future holds for her.

There was no doubt about it. She was going to end up fighting him and she may end up killing him…

Uzumaki Naruto…

* * *

And I'm back. Leave me a review guys!


	16. The Time

Well, another month another chapter. Sorry about the chapters coming out once a month. I was deciding on the final plotline for this story. I now see the direction that it's going and the story will be heating up soon.

Thanks to everyone for sticking with me so far and thanks for the reviews. Always a pleasure reading them, I'm just glad that you guys are enjoying this story.

A big thanks to Wilson for once again, doing this for me. You rock bro.

* * *

_A week later..._

Have you ever wondered where time actually goes when you really need it the most?

I certainly have…

I used to take time for granted because of its abundance, never realizing that time was against me. I always believed that time worked with me but as I stood in this room, I realized that time is indeed not my friend nor is it on my side. In fact, it's the complete opposite…

I couldn't imagine what would have happened if time was on my side. Would I have stayed with Gaara for the remainder of the week? So many different possibilities, the thoughts were endless but one thing was for sure, I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be.

After that last battle with… Konoha… he was calling for my presence. He was calling me to come back.

Back to the base…

And so, I left. Not by choice. What I got in return was simply a few words and then we disappeared to a secluded location that not even the rest of the Akatsuki members knew of.

I recall him telling me something about something but I paid the man no attention. I still didn't trust him one bit.

"Are you ready to start… Uzumaki?"

There he goes again, speaking in his usual stoic tone.

"Tell me again why we're doing this?"

"Preparation."

"For what?"

Pein narrowed his eyes and stared at the blond Jinchuuriki. "That is none of your concern. What is of your concern is completing this training."

Naruto sighed. "Then for your sake, I better hope you thought this through…"

"Your petty thoughts do not concern me. I do not care what you think." Pein quickly went through a series of hand seals before several puffs of smoke appeared next to him. Naruto tensed his muscles as he waited for whatever Pein summoned to appear.

Once the smoked cleared, five bodies appeared next to the original one, all similar in context but as Naruto took a closer look, they were also very different from the rest. The only distinct features were the markings on each of their faces.

"Welcome… to hell Uzumaki."

Those were the last words that Naruto heard before Pein rushed from his spot and started the brutal assault on the blond Jinchuuriki. Naruto expected the man to be of a high caliber but to witness it with his own eyes caused him take the leader of Akatsuki more seriously.

Feeling the power behind each blow, Naruto managed to duck under Pein's right elbow and leaped away, giving himself time to recover. He found himself slightly panting as Pein merely stood there, taunting him with those eyes.

"Is that all you have Uzumaki? Those rumors about you must certainly be exaggerated."

Naruto sneered as he got back up. "Then let me show you why I was given the title of the Silent Storm."

The blond Jinchuuriki disappeared from his spot, leaving nothing but a small trace of dust. In a split second, Naruto appeared from behind Pein, his elbow poised to strike at the neck. He swung down without enough force to make it a fatal blow but before it could connect, Pein shot his palm up, blocking the elbow strike.

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw his attack being stopped with one hand. The force behind the attack caused the small dust particles from the room to be swept away.

"Pathetic. Let me show you what it really means to be a storm…"

- - -

_Inside Sunagakure no sato, KazeKage Chambers_

"Where is he?" Ino demanded. It had been a week since she was last informed that her… 'friend' had flown the coup. "Don't even think about using that sand of yours to escape."

Gaara sighed as he massaged his temples, "Woman, if you don't shut up, not even the heavens themselves would save you from my wrath."

"Gaara-kun!" Matsui scolded. "Ino has been patient with you long enough. I believe it's time you owe her, no, both of us, some answers."

The Kazekage cursed the unfortunate timing. Here he was, sitting in his office with no paperwork and two angry women in the room. Gaara looked up, eyeing his wife and his friend's… conditional girlfriend… carefully. Any wrong words from him and judging by the looks from their eyes, it would mean hell for him.

Past the two women were the door and a lone window. His escape from this third circle of hell but can he do it? Can he slip past these two women and obtain his freedom?

His eyes quickly measured the distance between the two, a good five meters… Yes, yes he can! The more he looked at his freedom, the more his confidence went up.

"The windows and door are sealed." Ino replied without taking her eyes off the slippery Kazekage. "Your wife suggested sealing them up seeing as how you once escaped through them."

Gaara turned to his wife, awe-strucked. "Why? Why would you do something that?"

Matsui sweetly smiled at her husband. "Dear, a woman cannot just stand by and let another woman suffer. It's against our oath as women."

Gaara groaned as he slumped back into his chair. "Is this what it truly means to be helpless?" The Kazekage quietly grumbled, "Fine Yamanaka. You win. What can I do for you today?"

"Where is Naruto?"

"Naruto? Why would you ask about him? I thought the message was clear. He wants nothing to do with you. That's why he took off and left."

Ino's eyes slowly widened as she felt the effects of Gaara's words. Time was slowing down and she felt her world shattering into a million pieces, like a broken mirror. Deep down, she knew the truth. He left. He had left her here alone…

Did he truly not care about all the things that they accomplished together?

Did the cold-hearted bastard not care about the time they spent together?

Did anything matter to him anymore?

Was revenge the only thing driving him to live?

She bit her lips, trying to keep herself from breaking down in tears. "Did he… Did he leave a message… for me?"

Gaara sighed and put his chin above his arms. "And if he didn't? What would you do?"

Matsui stood behind Ino, watching the scene unfold before her. It wasn't her place to interrupt this conversation but she would be there for Ino, silently supporting her along the way.

"What if he never wanted to see you again?" Gaara continued, "What if he left you behind on purpose because he felt that you were nothing more than a liability?"

"Gaara-kun…" Matsui spoke up but Gaara raised his hand, stopping her from speaking.

"What would you do then Yamanaka?"

As Gaara waited for her response, he calmly observed her not as a friend but as an unbiased individual. Sure he was tough and sounded like a cold-hearted bastard but this was a crucial moment in time. If he gave her the answers and her spirit was weak, there was no way she would be able to survive in the upcoming months.

This information wasn't common knowledge but there was a war lurking in the horizon, and he was secretly preparing his ninjas and his people for all possible situations.

"I…"

Matsui smiled slightly and put her hand softly on Ino's shoulder. "It's okay. Gaara-kun is a reasonable man." She whispered. "Tell him how you truly feel…"

Ino paused slightly, conjuring the words deep from within her soul. "I… want to see him again."

"Even if it means that there is the slight possibility that he does not want see you again?

"I want to see Naruto." Ino sadly smiled. "My mother and father passed away and I don't want to be alone anymore. He's the only thing that I have left and I won't let him walk away from me."

"Underneath that cold mask of his, he's the same as me. He shoulders the burden of being alone and that's what makes him great. He understands the pain of loneliness better than anyone and if there is anything that I can do for him, it's to share that burden that he carries around."

This girl… Yamanaka Ino, she was indeed something else. Gaara could see why his mysterious friend found an interest in her. He pushed himself up and slowly smiled. "Well said… Ino."

The girl's eyes widened. "You called me by my first name…"

"I only call people by their first name as a sign of respect. Today, you have earned my respect and because of that, I will tell you everything."

Ino bowed gratefully as Matsui clapped her hands lightly. Gaara walked away from his desk and stared off into the window. "Naruto… has indeed left Suna but not because he wanted to abandon you. He was doing you a favor Ino."

"A favor? I don't understand… Why would he do me a favor by leaving?"

Gaara said nothing as his eyes looked at the beautiful sunset on the horizon. There was no avoiding it now. "There's a war coming and Naruto's not on our side this time. If he stayed with us and Akatsuki found out, they would attack this place first, knowing that you were here and use you as leverage to get him to bend to their wills. Not even I could match up against the members of Akatsuki. They have grown far stronger in these past few months. Naruto knew this and spared us the trouble by leaving."

"But why doesn't he just leave Akatsuki if he didn't want to fight us?"

"Naruto has a grudge against Konoha and nothing anyone does will remove that grudge. I'm telling you this as a friend and for your safety Ino. You must stay away from Naruto. He walks a different path that most ninjas cannot begin to comprehend. Believe in him and he will return to your side…"

"Gaara…" Ino whispered out. As she looked at Gaara, she saw small tears in his eyes. "You don't want to face Naruto either…"

The mighty Kazekage slowly shook his head, "I do not wish to fight someone who I consider my brother but to protect my home, my precious people, I will do whatever is necessary."

"Gaara-kun…" Matsui also whispered as she slowly walked over. She embraced her husband in an affectionate hug and the two smiled at each other.

"I will protect you Matsui. I promise…"

Ino shook her head, unable to understand the situation. She couldn't understand what that idiot of hers was thinking. She understood that he knew about Akatsuki's plans and yet, was he willing to go so far in order to gain power that he would sell his soul to get it? Was it truly worth getting revenge against the people who had done wrong against him in the past?

Whatever his deal was, she was going to make that idiot speak to her. One way or another!

- - -

Deep within an isolated mediation chamber, hidden from the rest of the world, a lone guardian remained in a fixated position.

Sitting above the water, an opened scroll laid before him, but the inside was bare. Empty to the naked eye, yet this guardian knew better. He was the twenty-seventh guardian and his name was Himura. This sacred duty had been passed on from master to student for the last two hundred years and now, it was his turn to carry it out.

Sweat dripped down Himura's brow as he continued to mediate. He was almost there, the secrets of this scroll was almost ready to be unlocked. He just needed some more time but he knew time wasn't on their side. Not right now anyway.

Akatsuki was on the move. They know the location of the gate and key.

No. His mind told him.

He could not rush this. This was a delicate procedure that required time.

His eyes widened when he felt something mystic moving along the scroll. Himura couldn't believe his eyes. The once blanked scroll was filling up with text. A map slowly appeared in the center of it as text to the location of the key and gate appeared under it.

A smile reached his lips as he took a deep breath. "Not too shabby for an old guardian." Himura chuckled. "It's time to assemble the key players…"

- - -

_Kumogakure no sato, Mountain Training Area 21_

"Raikage-sama! Raikage-sama! Urgent News!"

Aoi sighed and shook his head. "How many times must I tell you that I'm busy? Are you so blind that you can't see that?"

"But Raikage-sama!"

The Raikage narrowed his eyes and glared angrily at his chunnin, "Did I not imply that I want you gone from my presence?"

"Bu-but."

Annoyed, Aoi merely stated two words that brought fear into the hearts of many. "Killer… Bee…"

The fearful expression on the chunnin's face was more than enough to know that he heard of this name.

Aoi grinned menacingly, "So you heard of him. Today's your lucky day Chunnin. He's looking for a sparring partner and I was going to be it but since you're here…"

"De-demon!" The chunnin screamed out before running away from the training grounds.

"Yo! Who calls forth the name of the mighty Killer Bee? Wait, that's me!" The man threw all of his swords into the air but when they came down, it landed perfectly into his sheaths.

"Nothing you fool. Go get ready. It looks like its time to put your skills to the test Killer Bee. It's time to show the rest of the world why Kumogakure is number one!"

"Killer Bee is always prepared for anything. You fools just don't remember that!"

The Raikage paid his ultimate weapon no attention as he turned around, adrenaline rushing through his veins. _'Soon… I will be known throughout this world as its savior.'_

"Like are you okay man? Don't be constipating on me now."

Without warning, a fist came up and struck Killer Bee in the face, sending him through a rock. "Do not test me Killer Bee. I made you into what you are and I can easily take it away."

Killer Bee groaned, "Yes Sir."

"Pick yourself up and meet me at the gates in twenty minutes. We're moving out."

- - -

_Iwagakure no sato_

Using his skills as a ninja, Shibata slowly moved from one room to the next, making sure that his presence was unnoticeable and undetectable. Taking one step at a time, his foot stepped lightly but quickly. It was only a matter of time before they discover him.

"Shion-sama! Tsuchikage-sama has escaped! Tsuchikage-sama has escaped!" A loud voice screamed out.

Shibata cringed slightly at the loud voice. There went his cover. He must not slow down now. He must escape from this place!

"Where do you think you're going, oh stupid husband of mine?"

The Tsuchikage paled slightly. He knew this voice all too well. It was the ultimate evil, more evil than the bijuus themselves.

'_Don't turn around.'_ His mind shouted. _'For the love of god Shibata, do not turn around.'_

While his mind was telling him not to turn around, his body instinctively disobeyed his order and there it was; the ultimate evil that cannot be vanquish. His eyes met hers and he whimpered slightly.

"He… He… Hello dear." Shibata answered in the most honest voice he could muster up.

"You are supposed to be in bed. Why the hell are you moving around?"

"Curses woman! I can't be in bed. I have to leave! They're calling for me!"

Shion rolled her eyes. "Your health comes first you old goat!" She saw that he was holding a strange coin in his hands and quickly snatched it.

Shibata's eyes widened as he tried to recapture the coin. "Give me that! You're dealing with issues that go beyond your normal understanding!"

"And you're dealing with a pissed off wife. Do you want to push me further Shibata?"

The man cowered slightly but nevertheless, he did not back down, "This is a matter of life and death Shion. I have to go! The Fortress must go into battle!"

His wife shook her head angrily, "The Fortress is nothing but a small mountain now. Let Kenichi hand it. It's time that you let your _son_ handle the matters."

"But, but!" Shibata whined.

"KENICHI!" Shion shouted.

In an instant, a young man in his early thirties appeared from the ground, "Oh you found him. Thanks for saving me the trouble mother."

Shion smiled, "Here, take this and go in your father's place." She threw the coin into her son's hand. "May kami protect you Kenichi. Come back to us in one piece."

Kenichi stared at the weird coin in his hands and only nodded. "Always mother. I will make you proud father."

The young man turned around and marched off, heeding the call of the Kage, just like his father. His dad, the man who was known as the Fortress to his enemies was a legend among ninjas but he did not follow in his father's footsteps.

No, Hidekatsu Kenichi was a different man. He earned his own nickname with his own accomplishment and that earned him the name of _Titan_.

He waited for a time where the rest of the world would hear the name of _Titan_ and this was it. It was time to show everyone the true terror of _Titan_.

- - -

_Konohagakure no sato, Border between Sunagakure no sato_

Jiraiya sighed contently as he sat at a table, drinking sake. His earlier worries soon disappeared and nothing else mattered in this world. Only himself and sake…

Taking another sip, he felt his nerves slowly unwinding. This was the life. Being a hermit had its perks. No worries… no troubles… no problems.

"Jiraiya-sama." Kakashi bowed as he entered the room where the Sennin was currently relaxing. "Tsunade-sama has requested that you come to her office now."

The Toad Sannin sighed, "Fine Kakashi. Thanks."

The Copy Ninja bowed and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Jiraiya grinned lecherously as he thought about him being in a room all alone with Tsunade. Her. Him. Alone. He happily skipped over to her tent but when he got there, he found that she wasn't alone. On the contrary, she was with the rookie nine.

Jiraiya sighed as he stood next to Neji, "What is so important that you had to call me away from my sake Tsunade?"

"Himura's calling for us. It's time that we assemble and move out."

"Our army's barely at full capacity. I would estimate that only forty five percent of our ninjas are ready to fight but then, they wouldn't last long against Akatsuki anyway."

Tsunade shook her head, "No, we are not taking our army. We will be taking a selective few. That's why I gathered all of you here. There's no easy way for me to say this but… we are at war. This is something that we have never experienced before."

"War Hokage-sama?" Neji asked. "Against which country are we fighting against?"

"Neither. We are fighting Akatsuki and possibly the ultimate evil."

Jiraiya chuckled, "The ultimate evil? Please, you actually believe his story? There's something fishy about it."

"Ignoring Jiraiya's statement, I am not forcing you guys to fight. I am asking for volunteers to accompany Jiraiya and myself into battle. I know all of you have lives which you treasure so that's why I am not forcing you. All of those people that want to join us, please step forward."

Sasuke smirked, "A chance to kill Itachi? I will follow you into hell and back if I have too."

Tsunade merely nodded, still unimpressed by the Uchiha's statement, "Anyone else?"

"Tch, can't let the Uchiha say all the cool things." Kiba spoke up, "You'll need us to watch your back."

"Kiba probably answered for the rest of us but we will all follow you into battle Hokage-sama." Shino answered. "I have a debt to settle with Akatsuki…"

"Don't forget that you need me as a medic, guys." Sakura interrupted; a smile on her face. "Just don't get into too much trouble okay?"

Neji looked at Hinata and the both of them nodded, "We will also follow you into battle as well."

"YOSH!" Lee yelled out, pumping his fist into the air. "Then Tenten and I will follow you into battle as well! The flames of youth flares greatly within all of us. Together, we shall beat Akatsuki!"

Tenten sighed, embarrassed by her teammate's action, "Lee…" She muttered but nevertheless, she smiled. "I will gladly join you Tsunade-sama."

Jiraiya lightly chuckled, "Then it's settled. We will move out in the morning. All of you get some rest and make sure that you make peace with yourselves because in the next few weeks, you will experience something that you have never experienced before in your entire life."

"All those training that you did, all those missions that you accomplished, all those teamwork exercises that you completed. It was all for this! This is the moment that defines our path as a ninja. The great Hokages of Konohagakure went through something similar and now it is your turn. Never back down and always fight until your last dying breath! You are the best ninjas that Konoha has ever produced and I cannot be more proud of each and every one of you. "

Tsunade smiled at her teammate's speech. That pervert certainly did have a way with words. "I couldn't have said it better myself. Dismissed!"

The famed group slowly left the tent, one by one until it was only Jiraiya and Tsunade left.

"What about him?" Jiraiya asked. The Toad Sannin did not need to mention who he was since both of them knew. It was taboo to speak his name around here. So many memories were associated with that name that it was painful to bring up the past.

Tsunade sighed, her heart in turmoil. "I will personally deal with him. This will be my final act as Hokage as well as someone who really cares about him. It was my mistake to begin with and I will make it right."

"Minato… I hope you can forgive me for what I am about to do to your son…" The Hokage whispered out into the night sky.

- - -

_Kirigakure no sato_

Locked away in a vast library, filled with unlimited knowledge, the Mizukage rubbed his tired eyes. He let out a quiet yawn as he stretched his bones but never once did he put down the scroll.

As his eyes skimmed through the contents of it, he quickly tossed it away and picked up another one.

In his mind, he was only searching for a particular scroll, one that would bring victory to his side but in his absentmindedness, he had forgotten where he placed it. It was futile to rush through his scrolls, for they contain information to everything. It was only a matter of time.

Shiro looked at the coin vibrating on the table and ignored it. This was far more important than heeding that call. There was a scroll somewhere in this library that would turn the tides of war and maybe, bringing them to victory.

"Damn it… Where is that scroll?" The Mizukage muttered. As he massaged his eyes, he felt his body yearning for a rest but he did not give in.

Shiro took a look around the ransacked room, looking for areas that he might have missed during his little… expedition.

He knew who he was. He was a scholar. Not a fighter. He detested the way these ninjas threw themselves into battle, proving to everyone and themselves that they were the strongest of them all but the word strongest did not only mean brute strength. It also meant the mind as well.

When he took this job as Mizukage, he wanted to pass on his belief that a perfect ninja must have both the mind and body in order for it to be called the strongest. One without the other is like a handle without the blade. It was necessary to have both to become strong.

Unlike his predecessors, Shiro wasn't the front line type of ninja. He was more of a strategist and using his mind as a weapon, he proved his worth time and time again, bringing victories to his village.

While others had looked down on him for being weak, he was strong in the area of the mind. He did not need to prove himself to anyone. He would show them when the time came. He knew the limits of a human being and he knew what happened when the person surpassed their limit. They would achieve something that no other person had ever achieved before.

Total Harmony.

Shiro tossed aside another scroll as he reached up for an old leather book, one whom he had not touched in a few years. He sighed when he realized that this wasn't it. It was the complete opposite to what he was looking for.

He knew that eventually, he would find the answer. His only worry was finding it in time…

- - -

_Akatsuki Base_

Deidara crossed his legs and put them over the table. "What the hell are we waiting for here, ya?"

As he looked around, he saw that each member was engrossed in his or her own world. They paid him no attention or attention to anyone. They were just off doing their own things.

He sighed. It was boring sitting around, waiting for orders. Pein-sama had called for a meeting that was supposed to be fifteen minutes ago but the man was missing. He saw the chick that always hung around him sitting in her seat quietly; folding a piece of paper.

'_Odd…'_ His mind thought. _'The demon brat isn't here as well…'_

Tobi, on the other hand, happily jumped up and clapped his hands together. "Tobi is happy to start the meeting now!"

Every member turned their head and stared at their most eccentric member, wondering what was up with him. Usually, Tobi sat with Deidara, bugging him about the most random things but today, he was more hyperactive than usual.

"Are you okay Tobi?" Hidan slowly asked, his arm reaching for his weapon. "Does Jashin need to speak with you again?"

"Fools. Do you think your pathetic Jashin could stop me? Gods have tried to stop me but in the end, they all failed."

The sudden change in Tobi's voice took everyone by surprise. It was not the usual whiny and humorous voice that they grew accustom with. No, this voice was much darker and it held no emotions but hatred and anger.

Everyone stared at him with widened eyes, unable to comprehend what was going on.

"Tobi…?" Deidara slowly asked. "You are okay ya?"

Tobi sneered as he turned his head. "Deidara you useless fool. Stop your whining and shut up."

The clay user instantly felt the killing intent released from Tobi or whoever was in Tobi's body.

"The time has finally come. The opportunity is here. I cannot hide myself in this pathetic body any longer." Tobi slowly removed his mask, revealing a face that no one had ever seen before but what amazed them the most was the thing in his right eye.

"A Sharingan…" Kakuzu slowly answered. "Remarkable… Truly remarkable. I thought Itachi killed all the members from the Uchiha Clan."

The person who held the orange mask chuckled darkly, "Surely you remember the history of the Shodaime Hokage Kakuzu? The man who the Shodai fought at the Valley of the End…"

"Uchiha… Madara…" Itachi answered, interrupting Kakuzu. His own Sharingan spinning rapidly in his eyes. Could this man really be the famed Uchiha Madara? The founder of his clan?

The Sharingan blazed brightly in the man's right eye as he nodded, answering Itachi's question. "That's right. Lying in wait, I have. Waiting for the perfect opportunity to show myself. I could not move without being detected so Akatsuki was formed for this purpose."

"But what about Pein-sama…" Zetsu timidly asked. He could feel the raw power radiating off this man. His entire body was shaking just by standing so close to him. "Is he not the leader?"

"Pein was just a figure head, someone to distract the general public from me. He was not the true leader of Akatsuki, merely a substitution until my plan was fully realized. Members of Akatsuki! We have finally secured the location to the world's answer to salvation..."

"Oni no Kuni…" Madara said as he threw a kunai at the map to pinpoint the location. "Salvation is within our grasps. Soon, everyone will cower under the might of Akatsuki."

* * *

Okay, I know this might not have been the most interesting chapter but it had to be done. Sorry about that. As always, leave me a review with your thoughts and comments.

As for people who read my profile wondering about the new story _Naruto - Frozen in time_, I have worked out the first chapter but I have no clue where to go with it haha. I might release it after the next chapter of _The Forgotten._

Also, there was a question about _Exiled Legend_, I had a draft for the sequel but in the end, it wasn't working for me. As it was one of my first attempts of FanFiction, it amazed me to see how far I came from that first chapter ;x. Anyway, it's in the back of my head, don't know when it'll be come up.


	17. The Betrayal

Here you go! The brand new spankin chapter. I know it was boring last one but this one should make up for it. I hope.

Thanks to all the readers, reviewers and all you out there.

Many thanks for Wilson for betaing this chapter for me. I know my first drafts are horrible but thanks for sticking with me lol.

* * *

_Unknown location_

In the ninja world, names were everything. The name of a weapon, the name of a technique and most importantly, the name of an individual or group. In this world, there were people who could call themselves good and then there were people who consider themselves god.

God…

To be a god…

Madara smiled to himself as he focused on the idea of being omnipotent. He turned his head sideways, glad to see that the others were still following him like they should be. There was no need for conversation amongst the group, only the will to carry out orders was needed.

As Madara led the way, Hidan and Kakuzu followed after, Itachi and Deidara were after them and finally, Konan and Zetsu brought up the rear.

Zetsu, being the second mysterious member of their group, remained silent throughout the journey. He recalled the first time he had met Uchiha Madara and every cell in his body was quivering in fear.

When the orange mask came off, everything about the man reeked of blood and murder. It took every ounce of will power not to disappear from the room and running away into the unknown.

It almost felt like staring the Shinigami in the eyes as the death god slowly ripped out your soul.

No matter how much he tried telling himself that this man was Tobi, his other half was disagreeing him, asking questions that made him rethink the whole Tobi/Madara and Pein/Madara situation.

"**Something doesn't make sense here…**" His dark half said. "**Where is Pein-sama? Shouldn't we try to make contact with him?**"

"I don't know." The lighter half replied. "Is he the true leader of Akatsuki or is Tobi, I mean Madara the leader?"

"**We're only confusing ourselves further by asking questions which we have no answer to. We have to find out more information.**"

"Do you think we can trust him? We have been loyal to Pein-sama since we joined this organization and then this guy shows up. What do you think we should do?"

The darker half sighed, "**I think we should confirm our suspicions with Konan. She is always with Pein-sama. If anyone should know, it has to be her.**"

"I agree."

Zetsu then turned his attention to the blue-haired woman traveling next to him. He carefully observed her as she was pulling out small pieces of paper, writing something on it before crumpling the paper.

"What are you up to Konan?" Zetsu asked.

Konan looked up, startled by the conversation. She quickly recomposed herself as she pulled her arms backed into her cloak. "What do you mean Zetsu?"

"You can fool the others with your innocent look but you cannot fool me. I know about your abilities with paper and right now, I'm intrigued."

Konan scoffed, "It is none of your business. It is best for your sake that you learn to stay out of things that are beyond your comprehension."

Zetsu merely laughed and moved closer to her. Konan watched the man approach her, a serious expression written all over his face. "What do you think about Madara?" Zetsu quietly asked, keeping his voice to a minimum.

Konan narrowed her eyes, "Where are you going with this Zetsu?" She firmly replied. "You're treading on a dangerous path. Akatsuki does not take traitors lightly."

The man chuckled again, "Always so serious Konan. As far as I'm concerned, I am loyal to Pein-sama and Pein-sama only. I do not recognize _that man_ as my leader."

"It is just like Madara-sama said. Pein was just a cover. He was never the true leader of Akatsuki."

That caused Zetsu to widen his eyes. "Wh-What? Tell me you're joking."

"I don't joke."

"Then answer me this question, what does Pein-sama think about this plan?"

Konan turned her head, increasing her speed and moving away from Zetsu. The man was getting too nosy for her comfort. Some things were best left unasked. It would be a pity right now to kill him off.

Zetsu watched as Konan moved away from him, a small smirk on his face. "I think this confirms our suspicions."

"**Yes, yes it does. She knows something. I could smell her surprise when you asked her that question.**"

"We should keep observing for now…"

"**Too many unknown variables right now… We will decide when the time is right.**"

"I agree."

- - -

_Oni no Kuni_

Deep within the mountains of Oni no Kuni, the members of Akatsuki landed on the ground, everyone taking a look around the area. Most of them have never been here before, staring into the unknown with a bold mask of bravery. Everything in Oni no Kuni was screaming out demon country, a place where only the wicked would stay.

"So we here ya?" Deidara asked. "It sure took a long time."

Madara nodded his head. "Yes, we're here you imbecile. Why don't you shut your mouth and stay quiet for a minute?"

Deidara was about to answer back when Itachi tapped him on the shoulder, a warning in his eyes. The former Iwa-nin instantly knew what that meant. It was those damn eyes that made him join this organization and it was those damn eyes that handed him his humiliating defeat.

Deidara wisely closed his mouth, not willing to incur the Uchiha's wrath again.

The group walked forward, reaching a large temple, everyone starting to doubt their leader.

Hidan nudged his partner on the ribs, getting his attention. One look from him and Kakuzu knew what Hidan asked.

The nin merely shook his head, disagreeing with him. This person, Madara, was truly a person to be feared. Even he had heard about Uchiha Madara, the legendary warrior who dared to cross paths against the Shodaime Hokage and lived. He could have over a hundred hearts and he still wouldn't be able to win.

To go against his orders was just suicidal and he knew his place. It was to not get on the man's bad side. While Hidan might be young and inexperienced, the nudge and look he got from him proved his theory. The boy was learning quickly, using him as a reference before acting up. Unlike that fool Deidara.

It might have been lucky that Itachi gave him a silent warning or else they would be one member short.

As the members of Akatsuki quietly walked up the stairs of the temple, the doors to the inner chamber opened and several monks walked out, a smile on their face.

"Greetings visitors, what brings you to our temple so late?"

"We seek the entrance that you have been guarding."

The monks continued to smile, as the one standing the middle took a step forward, "Sorry travelers but we're just a group of monks that serve Kami in peace. We do not understand what you are asking of us."

Hidan growled, "Son of a bitch, they're toying with us!"

He was never a fan of monks and their hypocritical ways of how a religion should be run. Just because he had another lord to serve, it didn't make him any less of a man than them.

He still recalled the time when a monk bluntly told him that his god was fake. Needlessly to say, Jashin-sama was pleased with the amount of visitors he had that night.

Just seeing that smug look on the monk's face caused his blood to boil but before he could make a move, Kakuzu grabbed the scythe, preventing him from doing anything.

"What the hell man!"

"Don't rush in yet. I dislike monks just as much as you do but Madara-sama is here. We can't do anything foolish."

Madara merely smiled as he stared at the group of monks. "Monks or protectors, I don't care which one you are but you're blocking the entrance to the Rikudou Sennin."

In that instant, the innocent looks disappeared from the monk's face and was replaced by a serious expression. "So you know what we guard. Then you must know who we are."

"The six warrior monks of Oni no Kuni but I think the title of monks is too good for your little group."

"Heh, so you heard of us then… Akatsuki." The head monk answered.

"Heard of you? Nope." Madara answered. "I never heard of the six warrior monks but I did hear about the six missing-nins that eventually became monks. I forgot their names though but I vaguely recall the group calling themselves the Midnight Demons."

"I am honored that a group such as Akatsuki has heard of us, the Midnight Demons, but even still, we cannot let you pass. We have been given the order to protect this place from all outsiders."

"Then I guess there is one way to resolve this. Hidan! Kakuzu! Eliminate them!" Madara ordered.

"Freaking about time!" Hidan shouted, "Stand back Kakuzu, I will personally sacrifice them to Jashin-sama!"

Kakuzu scoffed, "I won't save you even if you begged me Hidan."

"Can you useless fools get to it before I lose my patience?" Madara threatened.

"DIE!" The immortal one roared out as he leaped towards the group of monks. He swung the scythe downwards, intending on impaling the head monk through the skull.

"Let me introduce myself young one." The head monk said as he stared at Hidan. "I am Takumi Takahashi, the Mirage!"

"To Jashin-sama, you're just a sacrifice!"

Takumi sighed, shaking his head, "These young ones have no respect for their elders."

Just before Hidan could land his fatal strike, Takumi began swaying from left to right at slow speeds before increasing his velocity. In a matter of mere seconds, ten perfect copies of the monk appeared.

Itachi's eyes widened, watching the amazing feat with his eyes. "Incredible…" The Uchiha muttered. "He's not using any chakra in his form. That's just pure speed."

Hidan swung downward, hoping that he would be lucky and nail the right one. To his disappoint, the Takumi that he hit was an illusion.

"Infinite Punch!" Takumi shouted as all the copies mirrored the original. Hidan didn't know what hit him. It felt like he was getting bombarded by punches in every direction.

"Way to go Hidan." Kakuzu scoffed as he watched his partner was sent flying by the head monk. "What a disgrace. How did you fall for something like that?"

"Shut your mouth Kakuzu." Hidan retorted as he slowly got up. "The fun starts now!"

"Takumi-san, let us help you."

Takumi shook his head. "Akatsuki is far stronger than we expected." He looked at the ground, shocked at the impact from the blow. If he had been hit with that, there was no doubt in his mind that his body would have been splattered all across the courtyard.

"Stand by and back me up accordingly. We cannot let them get their hands on the body."

"Hai!" The group replied as they took a defensive stance at the door.

Without warning, Hidan and Kakuzu jumped upward but before the monks could react, Kakuzu split into his five counter-parts, surprising the monks. Hidan, using his partner's actions, surprised the monks standing behind Takumi. He swiftly brought the scythe sideways, causing a minor wound on the chest of monk standing in the middle. The monks then scattered, evading further attacks by Hidan.

Takumi wanted to turn around but he couldn't. He was faced with the five masks of Kakuzu. They all growled at him, showing him their face. "Come on monk. Let me see what kind of heart you have!"

Forgetting about the battle, Madara walked forward and the rest of the members followed. Takumi saw them going into the temple from the corner of his eyes. He saw Kakuzu, or at least one of his masks charging up for some kind of attack and used this moment to perform his technique again.

He was graced with the name of Mirage because of his ability to accelerate his body and producing perfect copies of himself in a matter of seconds. Of course, they weren't solid clones but it was good enough to fool his opponent. By using his speed, he was able to strike fear into his foes and kill before they realized the trick behind it.

"Stop them!" Takumi roared out but his order was unanswered when he found three of his companions dead on the ground. The other two were heavily engaged in a fight with the other member.

He cursed his luck. How could it have come to this? The guardians promised that this day would never come. Just what was going on here?

- - -

_Inside the temple_

"So what now?" Itachi asked. "Do we wait for Hidan and Kakuzu to finish?"

Madara shook his head. "We move according to my plans. I have no need for useless trash."

The elder Uchiha looked around, almost as if he was searching for something. He took off his mask and his eyes carefully scanned the ground.

According to the scroll, it indicated that there was supposedly a button trigger on the floor that would reveal a hidden path.

Taking one look at the floor and then back to the scroll, Madara growled in frustration. The damn riddles inscribed to this scroll were endless and he was in no mood for games. He was so close to his goal that he can practically taste it.

Without warning, Madara slammed his fist into the ground, causing a shockwave against the tiles on the floor.

The sound of a small trigger was heard and then the entire floor began to shake. One by one, the panels on the floor began opening up, revealing a spiral staircase led the way underground.

The small smile on Madara's face didn't go unnoticed by Itachi as he remained in the back, observing the man. He wasn't the only one who had doubts about the man. While on the way here, he saw how strange Zetsu and Konan were behaving and that was enough to put two and two together. The only one who was the idiot here was probably Deidara but then again, he should give the man more credit.

Madara practically had the stench of evil around him. It would take an incredibly retarded person to not notice it, though if one were to think about it, the world was full of ignorant idiots.

Itachi then noticed that Konan was writing something on a piece of paper again, just like the time back in the forest. He turned around and stared at her, his onyx eyes staring into her brown eyes.

"What are you up to Konan?"

"It is none of your business Uchiha." Konan coolly replied.

"You can deceive the others but you can't fool these eyes of mine."

The blue-hair woman walked past him, ignoring his gaze on her. She didn't have to explain herself.

That was the second time tonight that people have been curious about her… As much as she wanted to enjoy the attention, she could feel their eyes carefully studying her, watching her every move as if she was a trapped animal.

This was not right at all…

- - -

Himura stood on the border of Oni no Kuni, sitting on a rock while waiting for the others to catch up.

He felt several chakra points as they came from the north. There was a pair coming from the east and one more coming from the West.

He couldn't help but smile to himself. The plan was coming together and all the key players were gathering.

"Hello Himura-san." Tsunade greeted as her team, which included most of the rookie 9 and Jiraiya landed in front of the guardian. "We got here as fast as we could."

The guardian looked up, surprised to see so many people standing along side with Tsunade. "You brought a lot of people, Tsunade of Konoha."

"Yes I have. These people were willing to risk everything for this. I cannot deny them of this opportunity to prove to everyone that they are great ninjas."

Himura chuckled, "They've got guts, I'll give them that but they are also very foolish. You're willing to risk exposing them to death way before their time Tsunade. Very foolish indeed."

"What's that old man? I dare you to say it again!" Kiba yelled, punching his fist into the air. "Come on old man, if you got something to say, say it to my face."

It took everything that Kiba had from launching himself and attacking the guardian but it also helped that he was being restrained by Hinata.

"Calm yourself Kiba." Shino said. "Showing anger right now is useless. If you hurt him, you would only end up hurting us. That man is our map."

"Oh? You have someone who knows how to act under pressure Tsunade, unlike your previous guest."

Jiraiya gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to join Kiba in beating the man. Tsunade noticed that Himura was purposely insulting them, judging them and seeing if they were worthy to be on this mission.

To her surprise, Jiraiya held himself back and recomposed himself. It wasn't just him, every one of her ninjas were restraining themselves and it showed that they were maturing right in front of her eyes.

"Someone's coming near us fast." Neji said, his Byakugan activated. "Another pair is also coming towards us at a fast pace. I think it's the Raikage…"

Himura nodded, "Yes that is about right. Can you tell me who that man traveling alone is?"

Neji shook his head, "I don't recognize him at all."

Within moments, the man that Neji couldn't describe landed in front of the group, a dust cloud covering his landing. When it cleared, the young man stepped forward and his eyes carefully scanned the group.

"Is Himura-dono here?" The young man asked.

"Depends on who's asking." The guardian replied.

"I am Hidekatsu Kenichi, the son of the current Tsuchikage, Hidekatsu Shibata. My father couldn't make it and sent me in his place."

Himura merely nodded. "Do you have his coin, son?"

"Yes I do." Kenichi showed it to him as proof.

"Thank you but while we wait for the others, why don't you introduce yourself?"

"Hai. As I said earlier, my name is Hidekatsu Kenichi, the son of the Tsuchikage. It is my honor to be fighting with legends such as yourself." Kenichi bowed in respect to the elder ninjas.

Jiraiya merely laughed, waving it off. "Kid, you honor us too much. We're here for a common goal. If we had met differently, this would have gone down differently."

"I couldn't have agreed more, Jiraiya of the three legendary Sannins, the man who is hailed the king of the Toad Summons. Your feat of training not one but two great legends is a tale that many ninjas have come to admire."

Jiraiya's eyes widened when the kid, whom he thought was just another brat, was able to pull off so much data on him in an instant.

Kenichi didn't stop there. He went on giving everyone on Tsunade's team a small biography of themselves, information that shouldn't be that well known outside Konoha. Hearing it from his mouth was a little shocking, and a little disturbing.

So the brat wanted to play information war huh? Did he just issue him a silent challenge?

Jiraiya didn't think so. He wasn't going to take this lying down. Oh no, he was going to show this brat who he was messing with.

"You're good Kenichi or should I just call you the Terrible Titan. A man who has the ability to completely surpass his father in terms of skills. You made quite a name for yourself, single-handedly going head to head with Sasori of the Red Sands before he passed away and most importantly, you were able to defeat your father easily in a battle not too long ago."

Now, it was Kenichi's turn to show his surprise. This man, Jiraiya of the Sannins, was no slouch when it came to information gathering. All he did was issue a little challenge and when his challenge was accepted and blown wide apart, he knew he had met his match.

This man's information network was on a whole different level compared to his. Maybe he should have reconsidered his challenge…

Tsunade looked rather amused and it showed. The gaki had the guts to issue an information challenge against Jiraiya, the man who was known to a legendary network of conformant. He was just a hundred years too early to be doing this.

Watching them two bicker back and forth vaguely reminded her of several people. In front of her, she saw the silhouettes of the two people she never thought to see.

Before her was the ghost of the Yondaime, back when he was just a fresh genin and then she saw him, Uzumaki Naruto.

Standing behind Kenichi were the Yondaime and Naruto, a faint smile on their faces.

Those images that quickly appeared in front of her disappeared a second later as she snapped out of her daydream. Himura coughed, getting everyone's attention. "It seems like our last two members are here…"

Just as he said that, the Raikage and his warrior landed on the ground, causing a tremendous tremor on the ground.

The man next to the Raikage raised his hands in the air and shouted, "KILLER BEE IN THE HOUSE! ARE ALL YA DOWN WITH THAT?"

Aoi growled, "Shut up Killer Bee, do not make me regret this decision."

"Oh yes! I'll be silent as a cat!"

"Amusing…" Himura answered. "Unfortunately, we don't have time for this. The only people we're waiting for now are Gaara of Sunagakure and Shiro of Kirigakure."

"I don't think their coming Himura." Aoi replied. "I would have seen them when we left our village."

Himura merely sighed as he stood up, patting the dust off his pants. "Then… I guess it cannot be helped. We will proceed forward with our plan. There isn't a moment to waste. Let's go."

A chorus of 'Yes' was music to the guardian's ears. Yes… everything was coming together and it couldn't get any better than this.

Soon… Everything will be set in motion. Salvation will be here once more…

As Himura took the lead, the group followed the Guardian respectfully. Jiraiya led the way along with Tsunade.

"I still don't trust that guy Tsunade…" The Toad Hermit mutters. "He reminds me too much of Orochimaru… I could see it in his eyes…"

"Don't start that crap again Jiraiya." Tsunade sharply replied. "We're working together to _save_ the world, not destroy it. If you explain that chaos theory to me on more time…"

"I'm being serious here Tsunade…" Jiraiya argued but when he saw that stubborn look in her eyes, he knew she couldn't' be persuaded. "Fine but I'm keeping my guard up."

- - -

_At the Holy Temple_

"Holy crap, what the hell happened here?" Kiba shouted as he tried to cover up his nose. "The smell of blood is so fresh and strong."

Neji automatically activated his bloodline, searching the area for the intruders. Himura shook his head, waving his hand in front of the boy. "Forget it Hyuuga. You won't be able to see inside that temple. It's heavily guarded with specialized seals that will prevent people like you to see the inside."

Seeing that the guardian was right, Neji deactivated his bloodline and frowned. "How do you know so much about this place Himura-san?"

The guardian merely smiled, "In order to be a guardian, you have to be well-informed of the thing you're guarding. I merely did my homework."

Satisfied with his answer, the group continued onward into the courtyard but when they got there, everyone's eyes widened in shock. Lying in front of them were the five monks, their body pierced through the chest. Sakura gasped when she saw one monk, impaled through the wall with a strange circle around him.

Kenichi whistled as he looked around, impressed by the destruction. "This can only be the work of – "

"Hidan and Kakuzu." Jiraiya answered, interrupting the boy from outdoing him. "These guys weren't ordinary monks…"

"Nope, they were known as the Midnight Demons, a famous group of ninjas that terrorized Oni no Kuni a few years back." Kenichi answered, smirking at Jiraiya.

"Uh guys…" Hinata said, getting everyone's intention. "I think they're still here." She pointed towards the steps as the two Akatsuki members sat there, their eyes staring at right back at them.

"Konochiwa people." Hidan sarcastically greeted. "How can I help you today? Maybe a little spiritual guidance?"

"What have you done to these people you monster?!" Himura angrily shouted.

"They didn't want to play with me…" Hidan replied. "So I played with them."

Kakuzu rolled his eyes, "You guys sure took your time getting here. I was getting bored sitting here."

"All these innocent people, you monsters! They didn't deserve to be killed like this!" Sakura shouted.

"Then how about you avenge them?" Hidan asked as he stood up. "Teach me a lesson please pinky."

"Gladly!" Sakura shouted as she cracked her knuckles.

"No Sakura." Tsunade ordered. "You will be coming with us. Neji, Lee, Tenten, you guys take care of them."

"Hai!" Team Gai replied as they took a step forward. "This will be interesting." Neji answered.

"YOSH! WE WILL SHOW THEM OUR FLAMES OF YOUTH!" Lee shouted as he got into his Taijutsu style with one arm.

Since his last battle with Naruto, the man had taken away one of his arms but that didn't stop him. He trained even harder, doing things that were deemed impossible for a one arm ninja and proved to everyone that it didn't take two arms to be a successful ninja.

Tenten merely sighed as she summoned her favorite pair of blades. She smiled as she stared at her opponents. "We heard a lot about you guys from Shikamaru. Let me show you why you don't mess with someone's jounin sensei!"

"Killer Bee, go help them." Aoi ordered.

"Alright you cats, its time that you witness how magnificent Killer Bee truly is!" The tanned man leaped forward, standing in front of Neji. "Don't get in my way now little Hyuuga!"

Neji scoffed at the man's pathetic attempt of a rhyme. "Make sure that you don't get in our way!"

"I'm going to soar like a bird and sting like a bee!"

"Right…" The group replied as they watched him dance around the enemy.

Hidan and Kakuzu smiled as they stepped aside, causing Himura to wonder about their true intentions. "What are you two doing?" Himura asked.

"The boss told us to let you through so that's what we'll do." Hidan replied.

"Let's go!" Himura shouted as the rest of the group continued forward.

When the rest of them went into the temple, the real fight outside had just begun. Hidan licked his lips as he picked up his weapon. "Four against two, I like those odds!"

"That monk managed to destroy two of my hearts. I will use theirs as replacements!"

Neji shook his head as he pulled everyone together for a quick group meeting. "Lee, go with Killer Bee. I don't know how well his ability is but if the Raikage brought him here, he must be good. Tenten will be with me. You two take Kakuzu while we take on Hidan."

Lee nodded as Killer Bee grinned, "This will be fun, one arm dude. Let us dance to the music!"

"Yosh! I can see the flames shining brightly in you as well Killer Bee-san!"

Tenten groaned as she walked away from the duo, clutching her head. "Oh god, there's two of them."

"My thoughts exactly…" Neji answered back.

- - -

_Akatsuki_

"Did you two set up the traps?" Madara asked as Itachi and Konan returned. The look on their faces answered his question. A nod from each of them only confirmed it.

"Good, let us proceed with unlocking this barrier…"

They watched as the mastermind behind this whole operation conjured up an ancient bell. It looked so fragile that it could shatter with one ring.

"Is that bell going to unlock the seal?" Itachi asked.

Madara smirked, "Why explain when you can see?"

With that, the elder Uchiha walked up to the seal and lightly rang the bell. Everyone held their breath, waiting for something magical to happen. The staircase event was both exciting and spectacular to see. They could only hope that this bell would bring forth something similar or something better.

To their disappointment, the quiet sounds of the bell did nothing. After it rang, the bell shattered and a majority of the seals around the walls effortlessly dropped to the ground. Deidara sighed as he picked up one up. "That's it? What happened to the effects, the entire shabam!"

Madara chuckled, "Not everything in life has to be flashy Deidara."

"But art is a bang!"

Everyone rolled their eyes as they stepped through the barrier and when everyone entered the final room, their eyes widened. "The legends were true…" Zetsu said, not bothering to mask his surprise.

"Unbelievable…" Itachi said, an awe-struck look on his face. "Truly unbelievable. The body of the legendary Rikudou Sennin, fully preserved. It's almost as if he never even aged a day…"

"That's right Itachi, the Sennin cast a powerful spell on himself that ensured his revival back into this world and now, the time has come to fulfill his destiny!"

- - -

_Unknown parts_

Every part of his body was crying out, telling him to either stop this madness or stop getting abused.

Naruto grunted as he felt the force behind Pein's attack. It has been four days since they started and since then, he has broken all of his bones, twice.

If it wasn't due to the Kyuubi's healing factor, he would have been dead by now. No, not even. He would have been dead when he joined this organization.

Damn that furball for giving him the ability to heal faster than normal human beings.

Pein stood at a distance, watching the man lying on the ground before him. It was a pitiful sight indeed but it wasn't pitiful for long. In just a few minutes, he'll be getting up from his feet and the training would commence.

For these past few days, he did nothing but forcefully beat Naruto into the ground and then some more.

Drilling those techniques into his head…

Pounding those styles into his brain…

This was his last trump card, his insurance incase all else failed.

Since his demon extraction plan failed with the death of the eight tail beast, he was forced to turn over the leadership to Madara and as much as he hated it, he couldn't go back on his word.

No matter how much he might hate that man…

It was a simple deal, to create this group known as Akatsuki and bring Salvation to the world. Pein would act as the first leader and carry out his plan but if he should fail, the leadership would be handed over to Madara.

As much as it pained him to do so, he did it without arguing. Both of them had the same idea to bring salvation to the world but both of them had different ideas…

Still, from what Konan was able to tell him from her little notes, they were already in the burial chamber for the Rikudou Sennin and was about to revive him. As much as she wanted him to be present for the event, he couldn't bring himself to be there.

Ever since that day when his plan failed, he couldn't help but wonder how it failed. These thoughts eventually lead him to Madara, who was charading as Tobi while manipulating the other members.

Just how did the mighty eight tailed beast die so mysteriously? It was almost like the creature had vanished from the planes of the living. He personally sought the beast out but he couldn't find it. Reports from the other members showed him that what Madara had said was true but he could feel the power still here somewhere, lingering on the plane of the living.

He had extracted the power of the tail beasts, every one of them except the Hachibi and the Kyuubi.

He had the Kyuubi under his grasps now but without the Hachibi alive, he had no other choice but to face the facts. He had lost the right to lead them…

But it didn't mean he would take it lying down. No way in hell. He was going to still carry out the plans, even if it meant breaking away and starting his own group.

It should have been him. The person who stood on the top of the world as its savior, not some half cracked maniac who goes around parading in an orange mask.

Pein closed his eyes momentarily, trying to block out the message from Konan but with her ability to transmit messages on that piece of paper, it was hard not to read it.

"Are… You that… bored?" Naruto sarcastically said as he pushed himself up from the ground. His breathing was heavy and the training conditions that he was sentenced to were insane. No normal man could have survived this.

"I just thought you were dead. It was such a pitiful sight of you lying on the ground."

"Shut your face." Naruto snarled back. "I didn't ask for this."

"If you have enough energy to talk, you must have enough to start recovering. Here." Pein tossed a couple of soldier pills at Naruto who easily caught them between the fingers.

"Are we done here?"

"Eat up and get ready at a moment's notice. We're about to drop in on our guests."

Now was the time to see if Madara's plan was the chosen plan. Fate had a cruel sense of humor, throwing everything she had at him only to see if he was willing to walk the path he had chosen.

Pein briefly opened his eyes, staring at Naruto who leaned against the wall while popping a soldier pill every three minutes.

"Yes… I will witness with my own eyes how your plan will change the world Madara…"

Seeing that their training was over, the feeling of relief washed over Naruto, able to finally take some time and relax.

Feeling the familiar feeling of strength returning to his body, Naruto felt a little easier as the tenderness of his muscles started disappearing along with this bruises. Those soldier pills were a wonder, even for a guy like him. Ever since the Kyuubi decided that one day, he had enough and vanished; he had been alone once more.

The anger that he felt that day was indescribable. It hurt so damned much to see the demon… no… companion that he had since birth just walk out on him.

Especially after everything that he did for him!

Hours of perfecting a technique that would grant Kyuubi some freedom; the fox managed to reverse the situation and granted himself a permanent stay.

Naruto had to smirk to himself; the fox wasn't that cunning at all. The permanent freedom came with a cost, a price too high to be ignored. By accepting his freedom, the fox had to give up most of his powers…

"Is this how much freedom means to you Kyu?" The man muttered. He couldn't understand why the most powerful demon would give up everything just so he can live the rest of his days in peace. What good is peace if you don't have the power to protect it?

Naruto shook his head, clearly not understanding the logic behind the demon.

- - -

_Underground temple_

Rubbing his eyes for the umpteenth times, Jiraiya stared down at the endless halls, unable to comprehend why they weren't getting any closer. It was like the feeling of déjà vu.

He could have sworn that he had walked this path like a million times already, hell, he could probably remember which tile on the floor had the most cracks.

Enough was enough. His patience was growing thin and walking like this with no chatter was enough to drive anyone insane.

Jiraiya poked Tsunade on the sides, getting her attention. "Do you get a feeling of déjà vu?"

Almost instantly, Tsunade agreed with her teammate, "Yes, I thought it was odd but I think we're…"

"Genjutsu…" Jiraiya answered, finishing the sentence for her.

Putting their theory to test, Tsunade glanced back at the Uchiha, who was slowly putting cracks into the wall.

'_He's catching on.'_ She noted. "Uchiha, open your Sharingan and tell me what you see."

Sasuke looked up, surprised at the request. He smirked to himself, "So you felt it too huh?"

The pair nodded their heads, "We're trapped in a Genjutsu, probably a strong one too if I didn't feel it." Jiraiya said. "They know we're here."

Holding up a single hand seal, Sasuke touched the wall and muttered, "Kai."

Tsunade then turned her head back to their guardian, who turned his scowl into a smile. She didn't miss it for a second. Even if the man was able to mask his feelings, a split second was enough for her to see it.

She watched him nod to the Uchiha, giving him a silent thank you but that was the least of her concerns. There was this nagging feeling in the back of her head, telling her that Jiraiya was right again.

Jiraiya slowly strolled past her and she instantly knew what the man was trying to tell her. He was silently rubbing it in her face, a silent 'I told you so!' walk. God, how that man infuriated her.

Just once she would like to have her smirking at him.

"Himura-san, we should continue now. I think this was the major Genjutsu trap they had." Jiraiya said in an overly kind voice.

Tsunade cocked her head, wondering what that man was up to.

"Hai…" Himura coolly replied, finally leading them past the circular maze, revealing a door at the end of it.

"Amazing… Can you feel it?" Aoi asked. He turned his body towards everyone and he was slightly shivering. "This power, it's radiating from inside this room…"

The Hokage nodded her head, understanding the fear behind the man's word. Himura effortlessly walked up to the door and with one swing, he pulled it open.

Slowly, the group walked inside, preparing themselves for whatever might be lurking in there.

"The body…" Kenichi whispered, pointing directly forward.

"… of the Sennin…" Jiraiya said, finishing off the sentence.

There it was, basking in the glory of the light, untouched for many years. There was enough history in this room that could fill several volumes of text and there was the legend himself, the body of the Sennin.

"I'm glad that you guys could make it." Madara's voice echoed through the room. "I was afraid that you were going to disappoint me by not showing up."

Everyone's defenses went on full alert, the voice unknown to them. It was so evil… so sinister, it was hard not to cringe when the man spoke again.

"A lot less than I expected… I guess you ordered a team to go against Hidan and Kakuzu _Hokage._"

"Enough of your games! Show your face!" Tsunade shouted. "I demand to see the face of the enemy that I'm dealing with!"

One by one, each member of Akatuski appeared alongside the body of the Rikudou Sennin but the most surprising part was that the man who donned an orange mask was in the middle, right between Konan and Itachi.

He took a step forward and applauded.

"Tobi?" Jiraiya asked, unsure if that was actually his name or what not. He had read reports about this member, the man who can bend space and time…

"Wrong… Tobi never existed in the first place Jiraiya-san. I am…" The man replied as he removed the mask. "Uchiha Madara…" Almost everyone's eyes bulged out upon hearing that name.

"How…?" Sasuke asked, unable to grasp the facts. This man was the founder of his clan, the man who was deemed the only one in the history of the Uchiha to ever gain the Mangekyo Sharingan.

And he was suppose to be dead… yet, the man was standing in front of them, living and breathing like everyone else.

"Himura…" Madara said, turning his attention to the guardian. "Did you bring it?"

"Yes my lord." The guardian answered, pulling the scroll from inner pocket. "I have it right here."

"What do you think you're doing Himura?" Aoi hissed. "What the bloody hell are you doing?!"

"Then give it to me…"

"At once my lord." Without another word, Himura started walking forward, heading in the direction of the enemy.

"I hate it when you're right Jiraiya." Tsunade muttered.

"I hate myself when I'm right too."

Kenichi gritted his teeth as he glared at the Guardian. "Whose side are you on Himura?"

Himura turned his head and smirked, "I was never on your side in the first place. Everyone merely assumed that I was on the side of good, a mistake that you'll probably never make again since none of you will be alive to make another choice."

Everyone watched as the man dropped the scroll into the hands of Madara Uchiha, who just smiled at them, taunting them to do something.

"Everything went according to plan Madara-sama."

"And now… the stage is set."

* * *

Author's Note: Damn, a twister! Oh! My! God! I'm so evil lol. Let me know what you guys think about this chapter. Next update will be on the Forgotten and then after that, will be Frozen in Time.


	18. The Arrival

Bam, it took a while but I came back. All the way back! well not really, I took the time to explore new things blah blah blah, I'm not going to bore you with them. I just found a new perspective in writing. Thank you to those who were waiting all this time during the long hiatus!

Thanks to all that left me reviews, love you all!

Warning, this chapter has not been beta-ed.

* * *

There were only a few things in this world that Tsunade hated with a passion, things that she will absolutely not tolerate.

The list consisted of Perverts, Debt Collectors and the worst of all, Traitors.

She especially despised traitors. They were the worst out of the whole group. Her definition of a traitor is someone who would sell out their loyalty for something so material. It was because of traitors that caused unnecessary conflicts and it would always be traitors that would cause the downfall of most civilizations. They had no absolutely no remorse for the things they do, didn't care who they hurt in the process in order to get what they want.

Himura… the man that she once believed was on their side, stood before her with their sworn enemies…

Akatsuki… A group of high caliber ninjas that was out for their own personal gain…

"Himura… You no good, lying, dirty bastard…" Tsunade growled out. The string of curses could go on for miles but she composed herself. She looked around, taking a quick head count of their members.

"Seven members…" She muttered quietly to Jiraiya. "Naruto and Pein aren't here…"

Jiraiya blinked his eyes, confirming Tsunade's suspicion. "That might be a blessing in disguise Tsunade-hime… If he was here… god knows we wouldn't be able to make it out of here alive…"

The Toad Sannin could see the members of Akatuski staring them down, like fresh meat to a pack of hungry wolves. The killing intent was just leaking out and none of them were doing anything to contain it.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Hinata and her team masking their fear. They probably noticed it themselves too. Guess there's no helping it. This is the first time they faced all the members of Akatsuki head on.

"Come now Hokage-sama. Surely you're not mad about what I did are you?" Himura replied, a smile on his face. "You never really… what's that word I'm looking for here… asked."

A small blush appeared on Tsunade's face but she didn't care, no one makes a fool out of her and gets to brag about it. "YOU WERE A GUARDIAN. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR ME TO QUESTION YOU!"

"I could have been your worst enemy disguised as an ally and you still wouldn't have known." The former guardian replied, dropping his grandfatherly tone. His voice suddenly picked up a more mature tone, a tone of someone who has crossed over to the dark side. "It doesn't matter anyway because none of you will be leaving here alive!"

"Why you -"

"I knew you were a pathetic kage Tsunade." Aoi said, pulling her back. "Watch and see how a true kage leads."

"Himura, you're right. None of us will be leaving here alive because all of us intend to make this place your final burial chamber!" The Raikage roared, his voice and eyes portraying the man's anger. All that humiliation that he suffered at the hands of this man, he was going to pay it back double.

The former guardian saw the challenged and he was eager to accept it. His hands clenched into a fist, ready to fight the man but Madara intervened, standing in front of him. "In due time…"

Himura snorted and backed away, taking his place next to Itachi.

Madara clapped his hands a few times, gaining everyone's attention. He cocked his head to the side, staring at the enemy. "Sasuke-kun!" The man happily squealed. "Won't you join us?"

Sasuke sported a bewildered look on his face. Just what did this freak want with him?

"What?" he snarled. "I have no business with a fool like you."

Madara laughed, "I want to extend to you the hand of friendship. An offer to join us…"

While he sported his façade of a fool, his visible eye said nothing foolish about the man. His eye was staring straight at the youngest Uchiha, gauging him of his strength.

Sasuke scoffed back, "To join you? I would rather grovel at Gaara's feet first. Joining you would mean joining up with Itachi and I'm not here to work with him. I'm here to KILL HIM!"

The man shrugged his shoulders and turned around. "Oh well. It's your funeral."

"We can kill them now yeah?" Deidara asked. "Tear them limbs from limbs and hang them by their necks…!"

Madara nodded his head. "Kill them all. I want none of them escaping this place alive!"

"With the utmost pleasure boss!"

Each of them took a step forward but they weren't met with resistance, rather they were greeted head on with a challenge.

"Don't take us lightly Madara. All of us here are willing to lay down our lives to stop whatever evil you plan on unleashing into this world." Jiraiya called out.

"I'm sorry but I don't think you have time to speak Jiraiya-chan."

The hermit's eyes widened when Himura appeared in front of him with a Shunshin. Clearly at this point, the man wasn't just a pushover, he was the real deal.

"Get out of the way you fool!" Aoi growled, leaping towards Himura. "That man is mine!"

Jiraiya obediently obeyed. He had no quarrel with the guardian; his real goal was to stop the ritual from happening. The moment he saw an opening between the clash of Aoi and Himura, he ran forward, using them as a distraction but before he made it past Himura, he was greeted with a hard knee to the face, sending him straight into the wall.

His eyes had the touch of surprise on them when he realized that Himura was the one who knocked him back. "Son of a bitch!" He shouted, feeling the pain on his face.

Tsunade snorted as she jumped into the fight, helping Aoi out. "You have taken much harder beatings from me. Don't tell me a kick like that managed to hurt you?" She taunted.

"This is my fight! Both of you get lost!" Aoi hissed, his back facing them. "I don't need your help."

"None of you will pass." Himura said, holding his arms out slightly. "The moment you pass me is the moment you die."

Hearing the cocky words coming out of his mouth pissed Jiraiya off even more. "Aoi. We're going to kill this piece of garbage!"

The Raikage chuckled, turning his head to admire Jiraiya's new attitude. "A toad working with the beast? Ahaha, I like it!" He roared. Both of them ran forward, intending of killing the man that stood before them.

"Together, we will show you pain beyond any mortal imagination." The duo cried out in unison.

Tsunade stood back, amazement written across her face. "Dear god, there's two of them."

- - -

The first thing that Sasuke did was search for Itachi. That was the whole reason he was here. To kill the bastard that put him through hell. He was going to make sure that the man died a slow painful death.

"ITACHI!" Sasuke yelled out. "FIGHT ME!"

"Still loud as ever huh Sasuke?" Itachi calmly replied, his hands still inside his cloak. The two glared at each other. "You never did learn to control your emotions…"

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted as she took her place besides Sasuke. "Let me help you! I've been training for this fight too!"

"No! Get lost Sakura!" Sasuke hissed. He turned his glare towards Sakura but he found her glaring intently back at him.

"No!" She hissed back. "Stop being a baby and let me help you."

"Is there something going on between the two of you?" Itachi inquired, finding the conversation between this girl and his younger brother amusing. "I didn't know you had a thing for pink hair girls…"

"You can mock me all you want Itachi but when it's all said and done, you're going to die." Sasuke retorted. He turned and pushed Sakura way. "Don't make me kill you Hurano. Your Hokage promised me this fight and I'll be damned if you cost me his death again."

Sakura looked at him, unable to find words to answer him back. The way he spoke to her rendered her speechless. "Go help the Hyuuga or something, you annoying woman. I don't a distraction around me!"

"FINE!" Sakura shouted, clenching her teeth. "Be an ass and go get yourself killed. I don't care!" She quickly left the area but not before turning her head around, watching Sasuke for the last time before he fought his elder brother.

Something deep inside of her told her that this was indeed the final battle between the two…

- - -

"TENTEN!" Neji frantically yelled out. He made a miscalculation, him, the genius of the hyuuga clan, miscalculated. At first, everything was going okay until he found something out, something that Shikamaru failed to mention.

Hidan was able to utilize some kind of telekinetic power. That's how he caught them off guard. By mentally moving the weapon.

Now, he paid for it. Right before his eyes, he saw Tenten lying on the floor, in a puddle of her own blood.

Neji stopped his assault and ran over, not caring about showing his back to Hidan.

The cultist smirked at his handiwork. "Jashin-sama will be so pleased that I sent him a beauty. Even if she was a bitch to fight."

"Shut up…" Neji replied, his hand caressing Tenten's face. His fingers slowly graze her cheeks, touching them lightly.

"Aw, what's the matter? Are you sad because I broke that bitch?" Hidan taunted.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Neji roared out, abandoning his stoic exterior. "I will make you pay you bastard. I will make you pay a thousand deaths!"

Hidan widened his eyes and darkly laugh. "COME THEN! COME AND LET ME SACRIFICE YOU TO THE ALL-MIGHTY GOD OF JASHIN!" The man hungrily begged.

"…Ne…ji…" Tenten's voice croaked out.

"Shh…" Neji calmly replied. "It's going to be okay Tenten… I'm going to send the bastard back to hell so just save your strength…"

Seeing that smile on his teammate's face broke his heart into pieces. They both knew that she wasn't going to make it and yet, she put on a brave smile for him. Anger started building up and he cursed the man for taking away his friend.

"I'm going to kill him Tenten. For you… So don't worry…" The once stoic Hyuuga stood up, and started walking over to Hidan.

To the people who known Neji for a long time, they would claim that he's an insensitive jerk or a perfectionist but to his teammates, he was an irreplaceable man. They knew him better than anyone else and they knew he was a dangerous man to piss off.

From the moment Neji dropped his stoic exterior, that was when his true power came out. It wasn't a deep hidden power, no. In fact, it was a limit. Ever since his defeat at the hands of Uzumaki at the Chunnin Exams and again in the village, he pushing himself past his limits only during private eyes but to the public eyes, he limited himself to a certain extent.

The immortal member of Akatsuki smirked as he watched Neji approach him. "So your going to avenge that bitch huh? Let's see you try, you pale eye freak!"

Neji slowly exhaled and closed his eyes.

Hidan pulled his death scythe back and gripped it tightly. "Her blood tasted so sweet. I wonder how yours will taste. Will you let me taste it?"

The Hyuuga slowly moved his arms, settling them into a difference stance. As he opened his eyes, he saw Hidan rushing towards him, his body crouching low but his weapon poised to strike. Before the weapon could reach, Neji disappeared, letting the weapon hit the after-image.

The immortal's eyes widened when he realized what happened. "What the hell!?" He yelled as he twisted his body around. The kid was now moving at a speed that surpassed even his eyes. Everywhere he looked, there he was, standing and waiting for him to strike.

"What happened immortal? I thought you wanted to taste my blood?" Neji answered, his voice different from usual.

Each time Hidan went to strike, Neji disappeared from his spot, leaving him more and more frustrated.

Just on the opposite side of the field, Killer Bee and Lee were having a much easier time. Killer Bee stood on top of one of Kakuzu's heart monsters, smirking as he smashed his fist through the third heart.

As he watched the one that had a lightning affinity slowly disappear from this world, he heard his partner Lee shouting something before impaling the last one with his left arm.

"At the start, there were three. But they weren't a match for me." Killer Bee began to rap.

"Just two minutes ago, Lee made a straight line for thee."

"And now, there was just one." The man from Kumo replied as he smirked. "What say you my friend? Should we finish this?"

"As you wish." Lee sadly replied. He was too emotional right now to do anything. When he heard Neji yelling Tenten's name, he knew the worst has happened but he couldn't leave his battle.

"You guys are just brats! How the hell are you brats able to fight on this level?" Kakuzu yelled.

"We are the youths that have the will of fire burning within each of us." Lee replied, stepping into his one arm taijutsu style, the Goken.

"Impossible!!" Kakuzu angrily snarled. "I will not be defeated by the likes of you!"

Lee gulped and clutched his fist tightly. Before he could do anything, Killer Bee pushed him out of the way.

"Bee-san? What are you doing?"

"Any true poetic master like myself can see that your heart aches. Leave this man to me and go tend to your fallen comrade. I will deal with him myself."

Lee had a startled look on his face before producing a small smile. "Thank you." He quietly replied as he ran towards the direction of where Neji is.

Kakuzu looked at Lee's retreating form in surprise. "Do you think you can take me on by yourself?"

Killer Bee shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have to think you old fossil. I know so!"

"DIE!" Kakuzu pushed his arms outward and the black thread came lashing out.

"Yo sir! Do you know who I am?" Killer Bee randomly asked. He waited for the man to answer but instead, he saw the black strings coming straight at him.

"I'll tell you who I am! I am Killer Bee! The Keeper of the Eight Tail Beast!"

With his final statement, Killer Bee held his arm up and began transforming. The skin on his body started to peel off, revealing a darker, deeper shade of red and chakra began leaking out. Within moments, the transformation was complete.

Kakuzu let out a small gasp as he witnessed something unimaginable. This guy… he was the keeper… of the eighth tail beast… the one that Madara-sama said to have died. By normal means, he was not normal. He had lived since the day of the Shodai and experienced things that no normal mortal as experienced and he had grown immune to surprises but this…

This unforeseen change had surprised him.

The beast, in its full glory, glared at the Akatsuki member. Daring him to attack.

Kakuzu weighted his options, to run or to fight. If he ran, he could seek out ninjas and build up his heart collection and live to see another day but if he ran, Madara-sama will kill him personally. If he stayed and fought, there was no chance he would win against the eighth-tail beast in his form.

The man didn't even get a chance to decide when he saw the beast charging up an attack. Something that looked like a huge amount of chakra, compressing it into a small particle. His eyes widened and he could feel the power behind it.

"HIDAN!" Kakuzu yelled out. "THE EIGHTH TAIL BEAST IS ALIVE!"

Everyone turned around and saw the gigantic beast cowering before them. Hidan turned in the direction that his partner was pointing at, not that he needed any direction. The tailed beast, famed creatures of legends, demons, was standing before him, glaring at him. "Oh shit!"

Lee and Neji stared at the new arrival of the beast. "What the hell is that thing?" Neji asked but saw that his partner was confused as he was. "The chakra behind that beast is insane!" The Hyuuga replied, his eyes gazing with his Byakugan.

"What the hell did we get ourselves involve with?" He muttered as he crouched near Tenten. Picking her up gently, he shouted to Lee, "Take Tenten and get the hell out of here. I have to finish my fight!"

"I can't do that Neji. We shall finish the fight together!"

"LEE! DON'T BE A FOOL. GET TENTEN OUT OF HERE NOW!" Neji roared out, not giving the chance for Lee to respond.

The Taijutsu expert hesitantly moved his head, deciding between staying and leaving but when he saw that look in Neji's eyes, he knew better to argue. "… Don't die on me…" He whispered.

Neji merely smirked, "I'm a genius remember? I will survive." He gently placed Tenten on Lee's arm and picked up her sword. "I'm going to borrow this for a while Tenten…"

In his hand, he firmly gripped the weapon. "Get out of here while I'm covering you…"

Hidan scoffed, "Why are you running? Surely someone from the mighty Hyuuga clan wouldn't run from a small obstacle as that beast."

"Only cowards would retreat." Neji coldly replied as he held the weapon out. "I'm going to make you pay, even if it means being with you in hell."

"Fool, do you not get it? I cannot die! I thought I proved my point when I stabbed my own weapon through my own bloody heart!"

"I don't need to kill you to show you eternal damnation." Neji coolly replied. Holding the Kanajana in one hand, he dashed forward and swung. Hidan saw the attack coming from a mile away and kicked his weapon out, effectively blocking the strike.

"Three minutes…"

Hidan stared at his opponent curiously, "Three minutes? What are you blabbering about?"

"Three minutes before that blast is release. All I need is two minutes with you."

"HA I like to see you try it, you bastard!"

- - -

Before Deidara had the chance to show everyone his appreciation for art, a young man slowly came towards him, with every intention of approaching him. The Akatsuki member backed away slowly, his hand never leaving the pouch.

"Are you by any chance Deidara, the former Iwa-nin?" The young man asked.

Deidara snorted, "Of course! I'm the great Deidara-sama!" He looked the kid over and marked him as his target. "You here to learn some art ya?"

The young man shook his head, "Learn art…? No, sorry but I'm here to kill you…"

"Kill me? Many of tried but none of succeed yet. Wait a second kid, why do you look familiar to me?"

Deidara tapped his chin for a few seconds, pondering about where he saw that face before. "Did I kill one of your friends or family before?" He nonchalantly asked. "Or did I do something to you and forgot to kill you?"

Kenichi gritted his teeth, clearly annoyed. "You truly are the clueless dumbass that everyone knows."

"SAY THAT AGAIN. I DARE YA!" Deidara retorted, holding a clay bird in one palm. "Screw your name. I don't need to know it when you're dead!"

"I am Kenichi Hidekatsu you gutless moron!"

Deidara's eyes widened and it slowly turned into a smirk, "So that's where I remember you from! I met your pipsqueak ass back during that family picnic! You sure were an annoying little prick of a cousin then. Guess it runs in our blood eh cousin?"

Kenichi's eyes turned cold and whispered, "No your wrong. It only runs in my blood…"

In a split second, the son of the famed Tsuchikage rammed his entire body into Deidara's, sending him crashing into the solid wall. Kenichi pulled his shoulder back and twisted his body. His arms came down immediately, one punch to the gut, second punch to the nose. Kenichi showed the man no mercy, beating on his opponent like an enraged beast.

Deidara groaned in pain as his so called cousin broke his nose. "Why you son of a bitch!" The former Iwa-nin yelled as his hand reached up and grabbed Kenichi by the face. "I'll teach you not to mess with your elders!"

"EAT THIS!"

A small clay bird hopped from out from the pouch and landed on Kenichi's chest. "Say hello to my wittle friend…" Deidara darkly chuckled.

Kenichi watched as the small bird made its way over. His eyes widened when he felt it growing warmer with each passing second and he gripped Deidara's wrist, forcing the man to release his grip.

"Art is a bang."

A large explosion occurred when the bird uttered a small chirp. Deidara smirked when he heard his cousin cry out in pain, knowing that his chest was probably burnt and on fire. With his arm still gripping Kenichi's face, Deidara gave his cousin a tremendous head butt, causing the young man to stagger backwards.

Feeling the air sucked out of his lungs and his chest on fire, Kenichi did the only thing he could and that was to drop to the ground and slowly recover. He learned about Deidara's techniques through his father and considered them only mild explosions but he knew imagined that they would be this powerful.

"I remember kicking your ass when we were little and just look at us now! I'm still kicking your ass!" Deidara said, his hand reaching to make another c4 model.

"By the way, how's the old man doing? Is he even alive? He sure as hell took my ultimate attack head on."

Deidara ranted on, bragging about his win against the man but he failed to notice that his opponent wasn't following a word that he was saying.

"The Fortress… that's what they called my old man…"

The clay user stopped his ranting, noticing that Kenichi was slowly getting up. He could see the burnt flesh on his flesh as clear as day and he could see the blood on his face. "What…?"

"His defense was something to admire, nothing short of a huge explosion could make a dent in his armor…"

The son of the Tsuchikage, with all his effort, pushed himself to stand up. "Do you know what a Titan is?" Kenichi asked his cousin.

"A titan? Is that what they call you?" Deidara laughed, in his hand, he formed a small giant that resembled a titan. "Something like this?"

"No… a titan is like a juggernaut, someone who is unstoppable once started."

Feeling a huge increase in Kenichi's chakra, Deidara watched in amazement as pieces of dirt, soil, rose up into the air and attached itself to his skin.

"What… the…"

For the third time in his life, he was at a loss for words. Was this a special bloodline that he wasn't aware about? This was just impossible, almost foreign…

He had never, ever in his entire existence witness something so disgusting, more disgusting than Zetsu devouring an entire corpse.

In a matter of moments, Kenichi's entire body was covered, from head to toe, with dirt, pebbles, literally anything that came from the ground. As he clenched his fists and closed his eyes, chakra began surrounding his body and everything began fusing together, forming a light bronze armor.

"Feel the power of the Titan cousin…"

- - -

"Hinata!" Sakura shouted as she landed besides her friend. "Can I give you a hand with her?"

Konan frowned at the new arrival. She batted her eyes, knowing that her opponent was indeed the apprentice to the legendary Slug Sannin and a very dangerous foe. The Hyuuga alone was dangerous but with her, she was clearly outmatched.

"It will be an honor Sakura-san." Hinata politely replied. She turned her attention to Konan once more, "Will you forfeit this match Akatsuki-san? You were hopelessly outmatched before and now, you have no chance of winning. Surrender and we will promise that no harm will fall on you. Choosing to ignore my offer will only lead to death. It's your choice."

Konan snorted, "Even the smallest paper can leave you with a cut. Do not underestimate me or else you'll find yourself dead."

"Enough talk!" Sakura yelled as she cocked her fist back. She took a flying leap, slamming her fist into the ground, causing a small fissure. Konan looked unimpressed and jumped up but that was when she realized her mistake. The fissure was just a distraction for the Hyuuga to get into her attack position.

She cursed herself for making such a rookie move. As the Hyuuga came closer, Konan extended her arms and within seconds, millions of rectangular papers came flying out, blinding Hinata.

The Hyuuga mistress narrowed her eyes and calmly extended her arms, "Shugo Hakke Rokujuuyonshou."

Sakura stared in amazement, her eyes following the graceful and fluid movements from the once timid girl. _'Hinata…'_ Sakura thought, _'You truly are your own woman…'_

"I have to stop her at all cost!" Hinata yelled to herself as she felt her arms moving on their own accord. "I cannot fall here!"

Millions of millions came flying towards her but she didn't waiver. Within moments, those crisp papers that once flew in the air slowly drifted down to the ground, losing their edge.

Blood came out of her mouth as Konan returned to her normal body. She narrowed her eyes at the calm Hyuuga girl, standing there looking proud.

"I ask you once more Akatsuki-san, will you surrender?" Hinata's gentle voice spoke up.

"We have endured too much to give up here." Konan replied, wiping the blood off her mouth with the back of her hand. "We have suffered greatly and we have sacrificed many but one thing is for sure, we will not be giving up here."

"Spoken like a true ninja." Sakura answered, "I will grant you a swift death!" The medic dashed forward, her fist cocked back, aiming for a quick kill. She saw her opponent on the ground, her body giving out but her eyes, they were different. Almost like they weren't going to give up just yet.

Seeing her palm twitch slightly, Sakura wisely jumped out of the way, earning a curious glance from Hinata.

"Her eyes…" Sakura pointed out. "They're not the eyes of someone giving up."

"That's because you're right… I don't intend of giving up just yet." Konan whispered out. Her fingers quickly went up into the air, already performing a seal.

"She's performing a summoning seal Sakura!" Hinata shouted.

"I know!" Sakura retorted back, already on the move before Hinata shouted. She measured the distance between the Akatsuki woman and her and with the added chakra already in her legs, she could reach it before the summoning was complete.

"YOU'RE FINISHED!" Sakura yelled as she sent her fist forward.

Konan heard the loud voice, her ninja senses were screaming at her to avoid the incoming attack but none of that mattered, all that mattered was finishing this one last seal.

A small smile appeared on her face as she slammed her palm to the ground, "Thank you…"

Smoke arisen from the ground but Sakura didn't stop, she continued onward, swinging her fist with all her might. It didn't matter what came out of the smoke, her fist would smash though anything.

"Well, isn't this a sight for sore eyes. It's just like déjà vu all over again."

Sakura's eyes widened, the appearance of that voice sent chills down her spine as she could only gasp. Everyone in the room halted their battle, surprised at the appearance of the unforeseen visitor.

As the smoke cleared, the sound of footsteps echoed the battlefield, each step putting fear into the body of some, excitement in the body of others but one thing was for certain, surprise was in the air.

"Let the pain begin."

* * *

Damn, look at this evil cliffhanger. Evil aren't I?


End file.
